The Forgotten Secrets of Soul Bonds
by Gamana
Summary: This is Au during the Fulbringer arc. A long time ago Shinigami knew what it meant to be soul mates. As time passed they have either forgotten or buried the truth. But with the loss of Ichigo's Shinigami powers Shiro takes it upon himself to help Ichigo in the only way he can when he has no direct access to his wielder anymore. And he gets something out of it too.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Bleach.

This is just a little story born from my deep seated need to rewrite the Fulbringer arc and the all but absolute lack of Urahara/Ichigo fics. The story takes place around the same time Ichigo would have met the Fulbringers cannon. There is also a little plot bunny that bit me concerning soul mates and soul bonding fics, and how as a part of the soul the zanpakutou has the absolute right to decide who you will be spending the rest of your life with.

There will be more to this story in the end, but it will update very very very slowly. I want to spend most of my time on my other story "Second Chances." Which, by the way, has nothing to do with this fic at all. So no Ichigo and Urahara will not be hooking up in "Second Chances".

1

The wind howled between the horizontal skyscrapers blowing long trailing clouds inexplicably up. The sky was grey and listless. The glass buildings as far as the eye could see were dull. The realm was washed of all color. __A least it is not raining___,_ the Quincy thought to himself. It spoke of Ichigo's acceptance of his fate if not happiness in his current predicament. The Quincy stood on his vantage point of a single flag pole created by his need to stand above all others. His hair whipped around his head, and he gathered his long, dark cloak closer to ward off a chill that he did not physically feel.

"Hey Quincy!" The other being with access to this world yelled from the base of the flag pole. The Quincy looked down acknowledging the other's presence. There was no reason not to as the Hollow would be his only companion for a long time to come. The Hollow stood impatiently with hands on his hips glaring up at him. "We need to talk." Yellow on black eyes flashed with annoyance when he got no response.

Shrugging after a long enough pause to see the twitch, the Quincy leaped from his perch to stand in front of the impatient Hollow. "What would we have to talk about? Ichigo is no longer able to communicate with us; our only reason to interact is no longer present."

"You really don't know how this whole soul thing works do you?" The Hollow snapped. "Idiot, we can still watch over him."

"Yes, I do know how that works, and I have been watching and waiting," The Quincy said wishing the Hollow would go away. He had some brooding to do. "Was there anything else you wanted?"

"Look Mr. Almighty Ass-Hat, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that you are indeed a part of King's soul, just like I am. But we both know which of us is the real Zangetsu."

The Quincy nodded to show he was listening, but he was extremely perplexed as to where this conversation was going. The Hollow so far had not stated anything he had not known himself.

"But I let you use my name. I let you train my wielder when he would not understand why his zanpakutou was a hollow, and to gain enough power to crush our enemy we combined into one being," Here the Hollow sighed resignedly. "That all but makes you his zanpakutou too."

"I am a Quincy," The dark man said with pride. "There is no way I would be a Shinigami tool."

"Says the Quincy who trained a Shinigami. Look, I don't like it anymore than you do, but you are basically a substitute zanpakutou. The same way Ichigo was a substitute Shinigami, a zanpakutou in all but name."

The Quincy thought over the Hollow's words. If what the Hollow said was indeed true, he would be a traitor to the Quincy pride, and himself. But then he was a traitor anyway for choosing Ichigo over cleansing the Quincy bloodline. He could agree with the Hollow on this, but they had yet to get to the crux of why the bloody Hollow was bothering him all of a sudden. It seemed to involve Ichigo though, so he would listen. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

The Hollow smiled wickedly. It was strangely different from his usual battle crazed smile. "Since you are a default zanpakutou, you should have a say in this."

"This?" The Quincy said intrigued.

Instead of answering the Hollow closed his mouth and frowned. "Do you even know what a zanpakutou is?" he asked suddenly.

The Quincy frowned at the seeming change of subject. The Hollow was not by nature a manipulative being and had preferred to let him do all of the manipulating when it came to training Ichigo. So why was the Hollow back tracking now?

"A zanpakutou is a soul sword that is used to purify hollows, send plus souls to the Soul Society, and if necessary kill another spirit," The Quincy said hoping the Hollow would get on with it.

The Hollow pinched the bridge of his nose. The Quincy could hear him counting backward under his breath. "I swear, the things everyone forgets..." He dropped his hand and looked the Quincy dead in the eye. "We are our wielders, dumb-ass." The Quincy frowned. He had never met anyone more unlike a hollow than Ichigo.

"Learning to use a zanpakutou is a journey of self discovery. The ability to knock over mountains with the flick of a wrist is just one of the better perks of the process."

The Quincy smiled at the memory. Despite being natural enemies, it could not be denied that he and the Hollow worked well together, and could accomplish glorious things.

"That is why you call me a zanpakutou? Because Learning about me teaches Ichigo about his Quincy heritage?"

The Hollow tilted his head to the side considering that statement. "Close enough. We are a part of the same soul, but if you were a true zanpakutou you would already know what I am trying to tell you. It's instinct."

"Yes, of course it is," The Quincy agreed. "This is the reason you wanted to talk to me?"

"No, it's not," The Hollow grumbled to himself for a moment, reigning in his ever present temper. The Quincy waited outwardly patient while his mind was whirring with possibilities of what a true zanpakutou understood instinctively.

"Look, since you are technically a zanpakutou, like I am..." The Hollow rushed on as if he would never get it out if he stopped. "I thought that as a part of Ichigo's soul you should have some input on who his soul mate would be."

The Quincy blinked and ran that last sentence through his head again to make sure he understood it. "Excuse me?"He asked. This was completely new territory to him.

"Like I said, Quincy, the things people forget if they are given enough time," The Hollow said with that weird smile again.

"We are going to find Ichigo's soul mate in order to... cheer him up?" The Quincy asked incredulously.

"No stupid, and zanpakutou __chooses __a soul mate." The Quincy stared with his mouth hanging open. The hollow laughed at him. "Man, the look on your face right now..." He clutched at his sides and bent double, he was laughing so hard. "Don't tell me you are one of those airheads that think you can only find your soul mate when the stars align, and its kismet, because, I have to say, you cover it up really well."

The Quincy watched as the Hollow rolled around on the glass howling with laughter. __It would be nice to give____Ichigo something so precious__, he thought while the Hollow laughed himself out. But it was also true that they had no way of communicating with Ichigo at the moment. How would they tell him who his soul mate was? He considered the problem as the Hollow got to its knees and shook itself like a dog. When it was standing again and once more seemed capable of intelligent conversation the Quincy brought up his concerns.

"How does one choose a soul mate? And how would Ichigo know he has one?" He did not want to admit it but he was curious as to what the process entailed.

The Hollow giggled but did manage to maintain control of himself. "Usually you see another zanpakutou and think: 'damn that is one sexy looking blade.'"

Now the Quincy was dumbstruck. "So basically it's whoever owns the zanpakutou you happen to... like?"

"Bingo," The Hollow said. "But you should know zanpakutou do not consider themselves owned... so do us both a favor and don't mention it like that in front of this one. The results could be very painful."

"That makes no sense," The Quincy said earning himself a sharp glare from the Hollow. "That would mean that only Shinigami have soul mates."

"What is a zanpakutou?" The Hollow snapped. It did not wait for an answer. "Only the truest form of someone's deepest desires, fears and needs. It is the core of their beings that Shinigami fight with. Being able to understand and speak with that part of yourself was a gift the Soul King granted us long ago. Even if a soul doesn't have the power to become a Shinigami that part of one's soul can still call out to another."

The Quincy thought that over. "So when two people meet and automatically 'click' as the young humans say, it is also two zanpakutou who... like each other?"

"That would be the G-rated version, yes," The Hollow said eyes twinkling with mirth. "And since King is such a complicated soul, it seems that the both of us have to agree on one mate."

Now the Quincy caught on to how they were going to pull this off. "He will know through his subconscious?"

"Exactly," The Hollow scratched his head and surveyed the grey world. "If he does what I always told him and follows his instincts, that is. King needs this," He said emphatically. "It's not as bad as when mom died, but it's no fun living in a grey world either."

The Quincy nodded in agreement thinking of how much he wanted Ichigo to be happy. Then he did the math. "You said I had a say in this as well?"

"Yeah," the Hollow said sheepishly. It was amazing to the Quincy that it was acting more like an abashed Ichigo than a soul eating monster at the moment. "I tried to do it myself but, regrettably, you are a part of the equation. We need one kinky blade."

"Does the relationship have to be... sexual?" The Quincy asked really unsure of his part in this.

The Hollow blinked slowly. "That's usually how it goes. There will also be complete access to both inner worlds. Think of it: a change in scenery."

The Quincy understood the implications, but he was not sure he wanted to go through with this, not even for Ichigo. "You already have someone in mind?"

"Hmm, can't get one by you can I? I have been working on this one for awhile, she's stubborn," The Hollow said with a dopey grin. The Quincy decided that this grin was worse than the manic grin.

"Who is it?" The Quincy asked faintly alarmed and tried not to think to hard on how the Hollow had already tried to 'bond' with this other zanpakutou.

"Don't worry, you'll like her," The Hollow said practically strutting off in a seemingly random direction. "Come on Quincy. The line between us is almost nonexistent. We already crossed it once when we joined our powers together. This wont be nearly as hard as you think."

The Quincy remembered their combined form, how powerful and … complete... it felt. Now there was a possibility he had not thought of, and having someone else to talk to sounded nice. He hoped she was intelligent. He followed after the Hollow his curiosity getting the better of him.

2

Ichigo sat quietly at the table sipping his tea. It was still a good hour before dinner, and as he had been doing more and more since he had lost his Shinigami powers, he had been spending the day at Urahara's. He had been doing his homework on the living room floor with Ururu and Jinta. The former shyly asking for his help whenever she got stuck.

He had come to appreciate this time away from the craziness of his own family. His sisters tried to act as if nothing had changed after the war, and for them it really hadn't. They didn't understand how it had affected him. His father treated him like glass. Isshin never even mentioned Shinigami, the war, or anything connected to either. Instead he pulled stupid stunts non-stop, and all Ichigo wanted to do was knock him unconscious so that he could hear himself think.

His friends were little better. They would not talk of spiritual matters with him and would speak in hushed whispers whenever they had to discuss it amongst themselves, and then they would turn to him and speak a little too brightly or a touch too loudly to cover it all up. The galling part was they didn't seem to know what they were doing. It irked him to no end that they treated him differently. Even if they did not mean to. So he always lied when asked if he was alright and said he was fine. He lied when he asked himself if he was alright and said he was fine.

Urahara on the other hand never treated him any differently than he had before the loss of his powers, nor did Tessai, Ururu or Jinta. They still talked about Shinigami matters while he was in the room, or homework, or the latest wacky invention Urahara was tinkering with. And surprisingly, Tessai liked to discuss current events and politics. Ichigo was coming to enjoy their debates on public policy.

Not only that but he had begun to feel drawn to Urahara in a way that he couldn't explain. It was almost as if he could not live without the man. He would watch the ex-Shinigami out of the corners of his eyes no matter what else he may be doing at the time. He watched him reading the paper or working in the store. He even watched his hands while he worked on some device or other at the kitchen table.

At first it was very confusing as to why the sometimes annoying shopkeeper captured his attention so thoroughly. It was not until he had jerked awake one night in his bed from a wet dream featuring Urahara and his hands sliding up and down his body, whispering for permission to take him that he understood what his current fascination was about.

In short, aside from the identified feeling of longing he felt for Urahara, the shoten had become a safe haven for him, where he could be himself and not be asked every five minutes if he was alright. Until now.

"You have spoken to my father," He said evenly, bottling up that part of him that wanted to scream in denial. It would not do to burst into hysterics yet. Urahara had not outright banned him from the shop. He just wanted to know why Ichigo was here so much. Isshin wanted to know why he was here so much.

"Yes, I have," Urahara tapped the side of his tea cup with one finger. Ichigo stared at the hands remembering the dreams he had been having. He gulped down the rest of his tea. Urahara's eyebrows shot up at the reaction. "Your dad seems to think that you are spending so much time here because you can't let go of the Shinigami, that you cannot let go of a world that you can no longer be a part of."

"He wants me to stop coming here, doesn't he?" Ichigo said numbly. He gripped his head in his hands. "Is that what you think I am doing?" He asked. Urahara's opinion was important to him. If Urahara thought it was for the best he would listen and not come back, no matter how much it hurt. A small part of him called him a liar. It told him he would camp out of the front stoop much like Renji had done until he was allowed back in.

Urahara studied him for a moment. His grey eyes searching Ichigo's. "I do not believe he is correct."

"You don't?" Ichigo asked as relief flooded his body. It had taken him over two months to come to terms with the fact that he was in love with Urahara. He had never felt this way about anyone before. And for it to be Urahara of all people added a whole new layer of 'you might be insane' to the whole ordeal. In fact, before Ichigo lost his powers, he remembered thinking Urahara was mostly just annoying (if strangely dependable), almost on the same level as Keigo.

"No, I do not," The blond said sipping once more at his tea just to keep himself occupied. His face was completely shadowed by his green and white stripped hat. "But your father believes it is so despite my assurances. He does not want you here."

"Why?" Ichigo asked unease slipping into his mind and making a comfortable home for itself. He did not think that he could stay away from Urahara at this point now matter what his father said.

"Isshin has experience with the loss of one's reiatsu. He believes you will be better served by making a clean break with the after life." Urahara raised his had to stop Ichigo from speaking. "If I thought you were trying to keep tabs on your friends in Seireitei or were trying to keep up with events unfolding in the Gotei 13, I would agree with him. If you came here to mope and whine about your lost powers, I would agree with him. If you ever begged me to help you get your powers back, I would agree with him. But instead you have done your best to insert yourself into the daily life here at the shoten."

Ichigo blushed. He had thought Urahara had missed that little detail. "As our daily lives have little to nothing to do with the Soul Society, I have come to the conclusion that you have another motive for being here," Urahara finished.

The silence that followed stretched out into infinity. Urahara pushed his hat back off of his face revealing clear, grey eyes. Ichigo's own eyes dropped to his lap afraid Urahara would be able to see everything in them.

"Ichigo," Urahara said quietly. "I am going to need an answer from you. Why do you spend so much of your time here?"

Ichigo stared hard at this lap, silently berating himself for being a coward. In every other aspect of his life he had been so fearless, even when facing the darkness within himself. Why was he so afraid of Urahara's reaction to his little crush? The worst Urahara could do was kick him out and tell him to never come back. But that was also the most devastating thing Ichigo could imagine.

"I am afraid that I must insist on an answer, Ichigo," Urahara said softly. Ichigo could feel the man's eyes on him. "Your father was very adamant. If I am going to argue for you to continue coming here, I have to know why."

Ichigo did look up at that. Urahara did not want him to go? He was willing to fight for him to be able to stay? That realization alone gave him hope. He stared at Urahara's earnest expression, and made his decision. No matter what the consequences of his actions were, he was not going to give up without knowing for sure. He did not answer, not in words. He stood from his seat across from Urahara and rounded the table quickly, before he had a chance to think about what he was doing.

Urahara sat back in surprise as Ichigo settled on the mat next to him. Instead of facing the table, Ichigo knelt facing the other man. He did not let himself think at all before leaning in and pressing his lips to the startled shopkeeper's.

Ichigo squelched the little part of him that was freaking out from his first kiss. He didn't want to pull away too quickly, nor did he know what the hell he was supposed to do next. They made it look so easy in the movies. Damn actors probably practiced kissing each other anyway. Ironically it was his habit of nibbling on his lip when he was nervous that served him well, as he ended up nibbling on Urahara's lip instead.

Once he realized what he was doing he jerked away and sat back on his heels. He could not bare to look up and see Urahara's reaction. He stared very hard at his lap until his eyes started to water. He could not believe what he had done. As the reality of the situation set in, and he realized he was not going to wake up in bed with wet sheets Ichigo flushed completely red. He could feel his face heat up to an unbearable degree and still he sat and waited. It was now Urahara's – no, Kisuke's- move. He could not think of the man he had just kissed in terms of his family name.

In the moment Ichigo kissed him Urahara experienced something he had never experienced before, a complete mental shut down. Never would he have thought that Kurosaki Ichigo would kiss him. It was true that over the past couple of months he had felt more... drawn to the young man. It was why they were having this conversation in the first place. He had only wanted a good enough reason to give Isshin so that the man would let his son continue to visit. Never in his wildest dreams – that he would admit to having- had he thought Ichigo even liked men let alone him, but the teeth grazing his lower lip cleared up that little misconception for him.

Urahara's mind rebooted in time to notice the thick silence in the room. Ichigo was still kneeling at his side head down and back ramrod strait. His face was also almost the same color as his hair. He looked so tense and ready to bolt at the slightest movement. And he was currently not breathing. Urahara reached out and grabbed Ichigo's hand. He rubbed slow circles onto the back of the hand with his thumb. He could not believe he was even considering this, but he was not the type to turn down a gift, especially one as precious as this.

"Ichigo," Kisuke said softly. "You need to breathe." Chocolate brown eyes met his from under messy bangs. Once he heard the first stuttering breath, he pulled on the hand still clasped in his and drew the young man into his lap. Kisuke shifted so that Ichigo was sitting between his legs. One knee was pulled up to his chest and braced against Ichigo's side.

Between the leg and the table Ichigo was effectively pinned in place. He tensed when he realized the position he was in. Kisuke pulled him back to where he was flush against his chest and rested his chin on Ichigo's shoulder. He felt Ichigo squirm in his grasp and the heat from the boys flushed skin through his clothes.

"Calm down," Kisuke cooed into his ear. He reclaimed Ichigo's hand and began rubbing the soft skin once more, trying to soothe the boy.

"What?" Ichigo finally choked out. "Why?"

"Did you really think that I would let you leave after that?" Kisuke asked slyly. He knew he probably shouldn't be teasing Ichigo at the moment. The boy had after all just confessed his love to him, if only through actions and not words. Taking this into consideration, Ichigo probably wouldn't respond all that favorably to words until he calmed down. Kisuke bent down and placed a soft kiss on Ichigo's neck. He felt more than heard the hitch in the others breathing.

"I thought you would want me to leave after..." Ichigo trailed off and his skin heated up again. Kisuke watched the blush spread down his neck and disappear into his t-shirt.

"Oh? Trying to get me to throw you out rather than tell me the truth?" Ichigo squirmed once more stuttering out a barely coherent denial until he realized that Kisuke was laughing softly into his neck. "I'm sorry, Ichigo. I am a terrible tease, and you look so fetching when you blush like that." Kisuke was now stroking Ichigo's arms. He felt the other relax slowly into his embrace. He nuzzled and kissed Ichigo's neck.

Things were clearly taking an amorous turn, and all of Ichigo's squirming had aroused him. But Kisuke was well aware that if he ever wanted Ichigo to return to him he would have to tread very carefully. Ichigo guarded his innocence selfishly. Kisuke was sure he had never even kissed anyone else. Before they could do anything they would have to talk.

Ichigo was not making things easy for him by leaning back into him and only tensing slightly when he felt Kisuke's erection. "What now?" Ichigo asked in a husky voice laden with desire. It sent shivers down Kisuke's spine. It would be so easy to scoop the boy up and take him into the bedroom.

Instead, Kisuke sighed regretfully as he gazed at Ichigo's tented jeans. __It should be illegal to wear jeans that tight___,_ Kisuke thought as he took a few deep breaths and tackled his runaway libido. "Now. Contrary to every love story ever written we talk about out relationship." This was why he had always dated older men. Being the voice of reason in a relationship sucked. He much preferred being the horny one.

Ichigo went still, afraid that was was going to be turned away in spite of Kisuke's actions. "What will we be talking about?"

Kisuke laughed, "For starters, do you know that you have never once said my name?" It really had nothing to do with what they really needed to talk about, but Kisuke was fully prepared to indulge in as much selfishness as Ichigo would allow him.

"I have called you Urahara before?" Ichigo asked confused.

Kisuke snorted. If he had not already witnessed how obtuse Ichigo could be sometimes, he would have thought the boy had said that to be cruel. "Ichigo," He admonished emphasizing the name. "I know you know my name."

"Oh!" Kisuke could practically see the epiphany hit Ichigo over the head. "Kisuke..."

As soon as his name left the others lips Kisuke rewarded him by turning his head and pulling him into a kiss, slowly and with as much passion as he could afford without loosing himself to it. As he pulled away he flicked his tongue across Ichigo's bottom lip. "I have to use that name more often," Ichigo gasped. Kisuke laughed gently. "There's more isn't there?" Ichigo asked shyly.

"Yes, there is..." Urahara paused. This was counter to every instinct a teenage boy possessed, and he needed to lay this out clearly and concisely, so that Ichigo would not over react. And there was always the possibility that the boy was not ready to reveal his sexual orientation to his friends and family.

Urahara winced slightly at the mere thought of what Isshin would do to him when the man was told. He pulled Ichigo as close to him as he could. "I don't want to keep our relationship a secret," He said softly placing his chin on the others shoulder.

Ichigo tensed at his words. "You mean.. you want to tell __everyone?__" He squeaked.

"In time," Urahara answered. "I want to do this right, Ichigo. I cannot explain why, but I love you. I want this to be more than just a tryst. To accomplish that we cannot hide our feelings as if we are ashamed of them."

Ichigo blushed hotly. Urahara... Kisuke was right of course. "I'm not ashamed of loving you," he grunted. "I'm just..."

"Embarrassed?" Kisuke said as Ichigo trailed off. "Is this your first love?"

Ichigo, still blushing madly, nodded. "Well, yes and no. I have had a crush on someone before, but it was obvious that that would never happen." He wanted to sink into the floor and hide, but Kisuke refused to let him go.

"And who might this crush be?" Kisuke asked amused. He already had a pretty good idea of the answer, as long as Ichigo had always like males.

Ichigo ducked his head. "Chad..."

"Hmmm, and you are afraid that he will realize you have had a crush on him if you tell everyone." At Ichigo's nod he kissed the boy's temple. "Do not worry, you have amazingly understanding friends. It's not like you are going to tell them that you are going to break into the afterlife to save a young girl you barely know from execution or anything crazy like that." Kisuke grinned when Ichigo couldn't hold back a chuckle. "If it makes you feel any better, it is I who will be risking life and limb when we tell your father. Which will be soon, by the way, Isshin wanted an update as soon as I got you talking." He leaned back to get a better look at Ichigo's reaction.

The teen choked slightly. "That's going to be bad. But... if I agree to this then..." he trailed off. He just couldn't say it. Maybe his friends were right and he was a prude. Kisuke didn't say anything. He barely moved. __Okay___,_ Ichigo thought, _dying right now ___would be good.__ But, no, he could not die now. If he died of embarrassment right now, he would have to explain to Rukia and Renji how he had managed to get himself killed, and he couldn't begin his after life like that.

"There is another thing,Ichigo," Kisuke said. Ichigo looked at him in shock. After all of that, did Kisuke not want him? Ichigo turned completely around and settled himself on his knees between Kisuke's legs. He leaned in close and planted another kiss on Kisuke's lips.

Kisuke returned the kiss without hesitation pushing his tongue against Ichigo's lips asking for entrance. Ichigo let Kisuke deepen the kiss and concentrated on memorizing the feel of the other man's tongue as it explored his mouth. No, Kisuke wanted this as much as he did.

"What?" Ichigo asked plaintively as Kisuke pulled away.

Instead of answering directly Kisuke said, "Do you know how young you actually are?"

Ichigo blinked. That was what he was worried about? Hell no. You don't kiss someone like that and then tell them they are too young for a sexual relationship. Ichigo's embarrassment evaporated under his scorching anger. He clenched his fists at his sides and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. "So I'm old enough to fight a war for you but not old enough to fuck?" He demanded harshly.

Kisuke sighed. He had known this would happen. He was also sure he should not have phrased that question the way that he had. This was one of the things that he firmly believed plagued Ichigo daily. Without his Shinigami powers he was for all intents and purposes a human child in every way but emotionally. It must be mortifying for the young man. "Let me rephrase that. Do you have any idea how old I am?"

"Um, pretty old? Forty? Fifty?"

Kisuke laughed. "How old is Rukia-chan then?" He asked trying to get Ichigo to change perspective from human to Shinigami.

"She told me that she was over one hundred and fifty, though she wasn't exactly..." Ichigo stared at Kisuke. Did Shinigami really live that long? He had never really thought about it before. "How old are you?" He asked a little uneasy about the answer. He had a bad feeling it was going to be older than Rukia... wait, wasn't Kisuke and the rest of them exiled over one hundred and fifty years ago?

"I am four hundred and seventy-three," Kisuke said without hesitating.

Ichigo's eyes bulged. "I... wha... " He could not fathom being that old. Kisuke only looked to be in his mid twenties, maybe his early thirties at most.

"So," Kisuke leaned forward, his nose touching Ichigo's. "Am I too old to fuck?" He asked deliberately phrasing the question as Ichigo had.

"Um," Now Ichigo was confused and a little ashamed. He had assumed that it was his age that was the problem. He sat back on his heels giving Kisuke a searching look. "It's not because I'm too young?"

Kisuke smiled thinly. If only it were a two month long problem. "If this were the same era that I had been born in, either as a human or a Shinigami, a seventeen year old would have already been considered a man. I do not have that particular issue with your age... With that being said, I do not want to give your father any reason to call the police on me because I am having sex with his underage son. It would be inconvenient." Ichigo smiled wanly, he could see his dad doing just that. "So I would like to wait until he can't have me thrown in jail for it... or we could try to get his consent."

"Yeah right," Ichigo said. He could not see his old man saying yes to that. He could wait. It would only be a short time anyway. "We can wait," He said aloud.

"The age difference will be a problem whether we like it or not," Kisuke said softly. "But it is something we can work on." He reached up and brushed back Ichigo's messy bangs.

Ichigo nodded. He understood a little bit of what Kisuke was talking about. He had calmed down from his initial anger. "Was there anything else?" He asked warily. He knew there was. Kisuke had that look in his eye that he got when he was thinking on a particularly difficult problem.

Kisuke hummed and pulled down his hat to hide his eyes. Oh, Ichigo knew he was not going to like this. "Would you mind too much if I researched why we feel the way we do for each other?"

Ichigo scowled. "What do you mean?" Was Kisuke going to tell him that what they felt for each other was fake?

"It is an interesting puzzle. You started to see me as a potential lover only a couple of months ago... around the third of March I expect." Ichigo nodded surprised that Kisuke knew to the day when he had fallen for the older man. "That is when I began to see you as sexually desirable as well. Up until that point you were my most favored student and hopefully a friend. The on the third...

"You were helping Ururu with her algebra homework. You were wearing another pair of those far too tight jeans you prefer and a t-shirt with a silly English phrase on it."

Ichigo was surprised by the details Kisuke remembered from that day. He remembered that day as well. He remembered glancing up and meeting Kisuke's eyes. A wave of sudden desire overtook him and he had been drowning in those calm grey eyes before Ururu had tugged on his sleeve and drawn his attention back to the problem he had been explaining to her.

"You do remember," Kisuke said quietly. "That moment was not chance, Ichigo. Something changed between us that day."

"You want to scientifically explain love?" Ichigo asked. He did not consider himself to be a romantic, but that was cold.

"Would learning why we feel the way we do make it any less real?" Kisuke asked carefully.

Ichigo wiped his eyes with his hand. No, he was not crying. He did not want Kisuke to find out that what they felt was artificial though, because that was what it sounded like. He would have to be very mature about this, he realized. This was who Kisuke was. He was a scientist. The infuriating man would try to work out the why of their relationship no matter what Ichigo said. If Ichigo could not accept this part of Kisuke... "I hope not," He said with a small smile.

Kisuke smiled back and rewarded him with a slow sensual kiss. "You wont regret it," He said once he pulled back.

"I love you," Was all Ichigo said In return.

"I love you too," Kisuke replied.

3

It was after dinner when they decided to call Ichigo's father and tell him the news. Ichigo was a nervous wreck pacing back and forth across the living room floor. He didn't want to admit it but he was afraid. Would his dad accept him knowing that he was gay? Could Isshin accept that he loved Kisuke of all people? That fact still surprised even him. Ichigo whined uncharacteristically. Couldn't he and Kisuke do the irrational thing and run away to a tropical island somewhere and screw each others brains out in peace?

Kisuke sat on a mat with the phone in his hand. For the first time since they had met Ichigo saw Kisuke so completely unsure of himself and that was terrifying. The blond pushed back his hat and stared at the phone as if it would bite him.

"Can you please sit down, Ichigo?" He begged. "This is going to be bad enough without you having a nervous breakdown." Ichigo sat down next to him and placed a hand on Kisuke's thigh.

Tessai sat and watched the drama that had been unfolding since the dinner dishes had been put away. He raised an eyebrow at Ichigo's familiar gesture and was even more surprised when his friend did nothing to to remove the hand. The two of them fussed with each other for a few minutes. Soft reassuring touches were exchanged between the two and that simply amazed the quiet man.

Tessai stared at his boss and Ichigo trying to divine where this preposterous relationship was headed. Not even his steady gaze penetrated the bubble around the two. Though this didn't bother Tessai. It was actually a positive thing in his eyes. People tended to forget that he was in the room because he rarely spoke. Even Kisuke and Yoruichi forgot that he was with them on more than one occasion, though those times were far less intimate than this and tended to revolve around "I have the perfect prank to play on Tessai... don't tell him."

Tessai sat back and watched as one of his best friends put his arm around the young man to comfort him. Before dinner the two of them had been acting as they always had. How had this happened and more importantly when? Perhaps he should have hung around after serving the tea for Kisuke's talk with Ichigo instead of checking on the meal. Then he would not be feeling so lost in the present situation. But he had given them the space that they needed at his boss's request, so that Kisuke could broach a very difficult subject with Ichigo. Even though Kisuke knew that Tessai's favorite thing was people watching and such situations were like a good sitcom to him. This time though he wanted answers. Tessai cleared his throat to re-announce his presence to the room.

Kisuke's head shot up, and he grinned sheepishly. He knew what Tessai wanted. Ichigo froze at the reminder that there was someone else in the room, and he had his hand still on Kisuke's thigh. He blushed at having forgotten that the big man was there entirely.

"I suppose you want an explanation," Kisuke said. Tessai jerked his head in a nod. "Well, it will be good practice for the days ahead," He said with a nervous laugh. He turned back to Ichigo. "Go ahead and tell him."

"What! Why do I have to tell him?" Ichigo demanded.

"As I said, practice for when you have to tell your friends. Also because I am the one who has to tell your father."

"You did not say that," Ichigo groused. He hung his head. "Okay, as long as you tell the old man," He turned back to Tessai. He was not going to be the one to tell his father the news. Call it cowardly if you want, but he never wanted to talk to his dad about his sex life, ever. "Kisuke and I are... in love."

Tessai blinked slowly behind his glasses. It was his only outward showing of surprise, though neither of the other two saw it. It had been a very long time since his friend had been "in love," but Kisuke did not refute what the boy had said. That was even more interesting. He examined Kisuke closely. Kisuke held the phone loosely in one hand and the other was wrapped around the Kurosaki boy's lower back. Well, an intimate relationship would explain the intricate dance that had been going on between the two lately.

"I see," was all Tessai said. He gave Kisuke a significant look.

"What did I do?" Kisuke asked. He recognized that look. It was the look he always got from his friends when one of his experiments bordered on the inhumane. Tessai's look only sharpened. He was not going to buy the innocent act. "I am serious about this," Kisuke blurted answering the unasked question. He held up his hands defensively. "I am not playing around, I swear."

Tessai sat back and crossed his arms. It wasn't a jubilant congratulations, but for now, it seemed that he would withhold judgment.

Ichigo had been watching the exchange with a mild curiosity. It seemed to him that Kisuke and Tessai did most of their communication the same way he and Chad did. But there was one thing that he picked up on that he wanted explained. "What do you mean by playing around?"

Kisuke sighed. He had hoped Ichigo would not pick up on that. "Well, remember when I said that me being so much older than you would be a problem?" Ichigo seemed to retreat from him. The young man pulled back his hand and closed in on himself. Kisuke grabbed that hand before Ichigo could stand. "I have had many relationships over the years. None of them were very serious." He may have to just say what he meant with Ichigo from now on instead of starting with the context. He did tend to approach problems from odd angles, and tended to forget that not many people could keep up with his convoluted thought processes.

"Oh," Ichigo said. He relaxed once more with a thoughtful look on his face. Yes, strait forward was the best approach. "Are you going to call my dad or just put it off forever?"

"I was hoping to put it off until tomorrow," Kisuke said with shrug. He pouted when Tessai let out a light chuckle. Sometimes his friend was too cruel. "Telling Tessai was way too easy for you," He continued trying to change the mood. "I should have made you call Ishida-kun." He nearly laughed out loud at the look on the red-head's face.

"Don't remind me," Ichigo mumbled. "And make the damn call already!"

Kisuke pushed the call button. It probably said a lot about his own worry over Ichigo's state of mind that he had the Kurosaki Clinic on speed dial. "Just in case." He had told Isshin at the time.

Kisuke put the phone on speaker so that he would not have to retell the conversation later. He had a bad feeling that this was going to be traumatizing enough the first time around.

"Hello?" Isshin's voice answered.

"Kurosaki-san!" Kisuke sang into the phone.

"Kisuke?"

Kisuke rolled his eyes. What other full grown man would sing song on the phone... besides Isshin himself.

"Is Ichigo alright?" Isshin asked. "Do I need to come pick him up?"

"No no, you don't need to come here – at all, ever. But I did find out why Ichigo has been spending so much time with us at the shoten."

Silence.

"It's not what you think, Kurosaki-san," Kisuke continued after a tense moment." Ichigo is actually coping much better than expected..."

"How would you know this?" Isshin asked slowly.

"I talked to him," Kisuke said finally getting serious. "I understand that being strait forward with your son gets the best results. You should try it sometime. You would be surprised at what you would learn."

"You know he doesn't talk to me. Hasn't in years," Isshin said heavily.

Ichigo cringed. It was true that he and his dad did not have a relationship where they could just talk to each other.

"Hmm, It might be time to change that. Maybe you could start with the past."

"Shut up, Kisuke!" Isshin yelled into the phone.

Ichigo poked Kisuke in the side and shook his head once he got the blond's attention. He did not think that now was the time for Kisuke to try to "fix" his relationship with his father.

Kisuke sighed in defeat. He would not force that on Ichigo now. He shifted the conversation back to it's original topic. "That aside, I see no reason to ban Ichigo from the shop. He is not desperate to contact his friends from Seireitei, as you had assumed." Kisuke smiled slyly into the phone. "In fact, we quite enjoy his presence here."

"If not to keep in touch with his friends, why would he want to spend time with you?" Isshin asked. "I don't think you are looking at this objectively, Kisuke. I wont let you keep Ichigo around as one of your experiments."

Kisuke frowned. To think that Isshin would think so low of him. "That makes no sense. I am nothing but objective with my experiments. As it is I am nowhere near objective, nor am I experimenting on your son."

"Quit talking in circles. Did you send Ichigo home or not?" Isshin demanded.

"No, I did not send him home. He is sitting right here listening to our conversation as we speak."

Isshin squeaked into the phone. Ichigo would have found it funny if the subject matter weren't so serious. A self satisfied smile spread across Kisuke's face. He had never approved of Isshin going behind his son's back to acquire information.

"You are just screwing with me again, aren't you?" Isshin asked desperately.

Kisuke did not say anything. Instead he nudged Ichigo with his thigh. He got a glare for his trouble. "I'm here Oyaji," Ichigo said out loud. He leaned in closer to Kisuke and hoped his father couldn't hear him. "What are you doing, scaredy cat? Just tell him already."

Kisuke giggled nervously, before he could stop himself. Yoruichi was the cat, not him. His usual method of dealing with an uncomfortable situation was to avoid it altogether. With both Kurosaki men pushing him into a corner, he was running out of ways to dodge the inevitable.

"Anyway, Isshin-san, that brings us to an interesting development between your son and myself," Kisuke said. He wished fervently that he could start running now. Ichigo poked him again, urging him to get on with it.

"Development?" Isshin asked.

"Ah yes, it seems that Ichigo has developed feelings for me," Kisuke answered nonchalantly. He got poked again for being deliberately ambiguous.

"Yes, we have talked and since these feelings are mutual we have decided to explore the possibilities of a relationship," Kisuke explained.

"What are you? A government issued pamphlet?" Ichigo demanded, annoyed that Kisuke was dragging this out so long. He felt as if he were going to snap from the tension.

"Ichigo, this is very difficult. If you wanted it over with quickly, you should have done this yourself."

"What!?" Isshin's voice filled the room. "Masaki! Our baby boy had been lured into the clutches of an evil pedophile, mad scientist!"

"Oh good, he understood that," Kisuke said.

Ichigo groaned. Between his new boyfriend and his father he was defiantly going to die from embarrassment. Rukia was going to laugh herself sick.

"Ichigo, I want you home now," Isshin said suddenly.

Ichigo was going to tell his dad to go to hell when gentle fingers pressed against his lips. He looked into Kisuke's calm grey eyes. Kisuke kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear. "It is only two months before he has no say whatsoever in what we do. I would prefer it if you would use this time to prevent a rift between you and your father."

Ichigo stilled. It made him feel good that Kisuke was serious enough about this that he was looking out for his best interests. But the truth of the matter was that his dad had every right to keep them apart until he turned eighteen. Would Kisuke still be interested in him if they couldn't see each other in that time?

He swallowed hard. Even if his father kept them apart until his birthday, he still had to talk to his old man. Isshin hadn't even known that he was gay before he dropped this bombshell on him. "I'll be home in about twenty minutes," He said to his dad. For Kisuke he had one last passionate kiss. He poured everything he felt for Kisuke into that kiss, even the emotions and need that he did not fully understand. It was very encouraging and bolstered his own resolve when Kisuke kissed him back with the same passion. Kisuke was a very good kisser Ichigo decided as he slowly pulled away far enough to stare into his eyes. He leaned in for another kiss...

"Are you leaving yet?" Isshin's voice grated over the phone.

Ichigo jumped at the reminder that his dad was still, technically, in the room. His face turned red again. "Y-yeah, I'm on my way." He stood and looked down at Kisuke. Kisuke smiled encouragingly. Ichigo nodded once and grabbed his bag to leave. He looked back one last time before slipping out the door. The hell if he could say 'I love you' with his dad listening in. At least not yet. They had to talk first.

After Ichigo had left the room Kisuke turned off the speaker phone. "Alright Isshin, if you have anything derogatory to say to me get it out now," He said into the phone. "I don't want you to do something as stupid as take your anger out on your son when he gets home."

"I would never do that," Isshin said deadly serious.

"Good," Kisuke said just as serious.

"Don't play with him Kisuke."

"I am not. I am serious about this," Kisuke sighed and laid all of his cards on the table. "It is inexplicable to me, but your son has become the most precious thing in my life. I am sure that I would do anything to make him happy at this point, even going as far as giving up being a Shinigami for him should he ask it."

There was a long silence from the phone before a small beep signaled the end of the call. Kisuke dropped his head into his hands. It was up to Ichigo now. He just hoped the boy would not loose his temper and do something rash.

4

Ichigo was so preoccupied with what he was going to say to his father that he missed the hello fist to the face the man gave him when he walked through the door. The punch was hard enough to snap his head back and snap him out of his contemplative mood. At least this was normal. The retaliatory kick to his dad's abdomen sent the elder Kurosaki flying back into the wall.

"Shit Oyaji! Is this really how you want to begin this conversation?" Ichigo yelled. He stood limbs akimbo ready for a follow up attack.

Isshin slammed his hands on the floor in frustration and stood to face his son. "What the hell do you think you are doing fraternizing with that man? Hell, how long have you been gay?"

Ichigo felt his eyes begin to burn. He had not cried in years. Why did it have to happen now. "Are you ashamed of me because I like men?"

Isshin ran his hand through his hair as he thought of an answer. "Kami Ichigo, No I'm not ashamed of you at all," He searched for words. "I'm shocked," He shrugged sheepishly. "Though it does explain how you could have a cute girl living in your closet and not once try to sneak a peek..."

"Can you at the very least try to stay on topic!" Ichigo yelled. "And Rukia isn't cute; she's violent," He covered his face with his hands. Now Isshin had him doing it. This was why they never talked. He could count the times he had seen his dad serious on once hand, and most of that had been in the past year.

Isshin looked at his son, really looked. Ichigo's posture was hunched over and very tense. He was frowning more heavily than usual and there was a strain around his eyes which were red and a bit puffy. It struck him then that his son really expected him to disown him for being gay. "I'm not mad at you," Isshin said quietly. "You are my son. I just... I never expected I would have to play the over protective father with you," He said with a slight smile on his face. "I have been saving that for when the girls are older. I even bought a katana."

Ichigo had to crack a smile at the thought of Isshin standing over some poor kid dumb enough to try to date his sisters with naked blade in hand. But the smile was slight and tremulous. Ichigo felt an arm wrap around his shoulders. Isshin lead him to the kitchen table, and they sat down.

"Why did you get so mad?" Ichigo asked quietly. "If it wasn't because of me, why?"

Isshin sat back and crossed his arms. "Did you forget already that I know Urahara?"

"No, I just didn't know that you were friends."

Isshin hesitated. "Friends... yes in a way. We don't talk much. Every time we do we remember things that we have lost. But that isn't the point. I know him well enough... Ichigo, Urahara goes through lovers the same way everyone else goes through tic-tacs."

Ichigo blinked. Kisuke had told him that he had had plenty of lovers, but he had not gotten the impression that that was all Ichigo was to him. He was pretty sure that he would still be at the shop most likely buck naked by now if that was all Kisuke had wanted.

"I'm just glad that you had the presence of mind to call me. I had thought he respected me too much to-"

"He didn't, dad. I kissed him first."

Isshin stared at his son surprised. "You kissed him?"

"Yes," Ichigo blushed.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" Ichigo demanded.

"Why Urahara?" Isshin asked curiously. He already had a hunch from what Urahara had told him before he had hung up, but he wanted to hear from Ichigo before making any conclusions.

"I don't really know," Ichigo said with a shrug. "I just feel...safe with him." He broke off with another nervous shrug. "He is important to me. It's like I can't imagine my life with out him. I just want to be with him. Even now I feel a need to be near him," Ichigo blushed again. He really had not wanted to say that and to his dad no less. It made him sound like a love sick girl.

Isshin groaned, "I was hoping you wouldn't say that."

"Huh?"

"You know that your old man is much more perceptive than you give him credit for," Isshin stated.

"One can only hope," Ichigo mumbled at the table.

Isshin smacked him on the back of the head. "Show me a little respect here." Ichigo growled in response and rubbed the sore spot on his head. "From what Urahara told me from before I hung up and what you just said right now... not to mention the look on your face when you said it... I felt the same way when I met the love of my life."

Ichigo sat up. He was talking about mom. "I was a Shinigami captain; she was a human..." Isshin took a deep breath. "It was less than twenty-four hours after we met that I came back to the living world and never left."

"What are you trying to say?" Ichigo asked.

"Well son, if you feel for Urahara like I do for your mother- you could be soul mates."

Ichigo scoffed. Soul mates were not real. It was just a story.

"I mean it Ichigo. Whatever you believe, this bond will over rule it." Isshin rubbed his hand across his face. "It's just that I don't want you to mistake lust with something that precious. And I certainly don't want him to break your heart."

Ichigo couldn't believe what he was hearing."So you are alright with Kisuke and I having a relationship?"

Isshin frowned. It certainly was not alright, but he had never stood in his son's way before. It wasn't like he could start now. "I am not," The next words came out strained. "But you are almost an adult now, and preventing you from seeing him for the next two months would be pointless."

Ichigo shrugged and superstitiously checked his watch. His father had been serious for almost ten minutes now. The world just might be ending. "Kisuke said that he would wait until you could not call the cops on him."

__Smart man,__Isshin thought. Then- "Kisuke is willing to wait? I thought you two were already...doing... things."

"I- no! I told you that I'm the one that kissed him first," Ichigo was offended that his dad thought that he would crawl into bed with a man within an hour of confessing.

"You haven't... umm..."

"No!" Now Ichigo was blushing like crazy again.

"Oh, how long have you two been... together?"

A shrug, "Since before dinner."

Isshin's head smacked into the table. "Hehe, dinner... that's a comfort. At least he wanted to tell me before he started screwing my under age son."

"Dad!" Ichigo spluttered. He was thoroughly embarrassed at his father's words. What kind of person did he think Kisuke was anyway?

"Sorry, sorry," Isshin said leaning over and grabbing Ichigo's arm. "I am not completely sure that you and Urahara are soul mates, but this is not his usual m.o. at all. I want you to make me a promise. Wait until you are eighteen to... you know..." He made a vague gesture with his hand. "If Urahara can't wait that long, it's not a relationship worth pursuing, especially with him."

Ichigo opened his mouth for a scathing response before snapping it shut so hard that his teeth clicked. "I- yeah, I can wait that long. I don't think that I am ready for sex yet anyway."

__Oh, good.__Isshin thought, very pleased with his son's response. He stood with as much dignity as he could muster and flung himself at the large poster of his late wife. "Masaki! Success! Our baby boy is all grown up and practicing good judgment!"

__And time, __Ichigo thought checking his watch.__Almost fifteen minutes. __He really was impressed. Somewhere deep inside that inane exterior his dad was a rational human – Shinigami- whatever- "Good talk, dad," He said standing up to make a break for his room. Suppressing all of that craziness was bound to cause an over flow. Ichigo wanted to be well away when the dam broke.

"Wait son!" Isshin said leaping at Ichigo intending to catch him in a bear hug. "We are in the middle of a father son moment!"

Ichigo side stepped and clothes-lined his dad. "Good night," He said stepping over his father's supine form. Once he entered his room he breathed a sigh of relief. He felt lighter than he had in months. It felt good to have one less secret hanging over his head.


	2. Chapter 2

00

This was supposed to be a oneshot... oneshot +1.

1

"This is... interesting," The woman said leaning over the edge of the skyscraper. Bright green eyes studied the many more skyscrapers below and far at the bottom, for some reason, water. Wind blew back her long cherry red hair. She pulled her blood red kimono tighter at the cool breeze. She was not used to weather of any kind, and wind gusts still startled her. "Why did it take so long for you to show me this?" She asked the white figure standing not too far away.

"The Quincy thought we should let it dry out first," His echoing voice replied. He jabbed his thumb back at the black cloaked figure perched on a flag pole behind them.

"Dry out?" The woman asked eyes narrowing in thought. This place was so different from her Kisuke-chan's inner world. She was still trying to get her barrings. She had never been in a place so open before. And evidently the concept of water held an unknown importance in her lovers' world.

That had been a shock from the hollow being she had decided to bond herself and her wielder to; he had a deeper range of emotion than the others. She knew much of the Visoreds from Kisuke-chan's work with them, but this one was still strange to her. So unlike the other hollowfied spirits she had met. He was more powerful for one. Benihime appreciated power. Her eyes slid sideways to the other imposing figure, much more powerful, and surprisingly intelligent as well.

The hollow sighed. "It rains when Ichigo is sad or depressed. We been walkin' around in a fog bank fer the past year and a half." He pointed down at the water far below. "That happened when mom died. Ichigo never really recovered from that."

Benihime tapped her black lacquered fan against her thigh in thought. "I have never directly experienced fog before," She said somewhat wistfully wondering what it would feel like. Kisuke-chan's entire inner world was inside a lush palace. Weather was a new phenomenon for her.

"Trust me, it's not as much fun as ya'd think. All it is is wet and cold," The Hollow said dismissively. Benihime got the impression that neither bothered him that much. Wet and cold certainly didn't sound like any fun to her at all though.

"Ah well, at least I finally get to see the sun," She looked over her shoulder at the bright orb. "Is there anything inside the buildings?" She asked curiously tapping the glass window with her stylized geta.

"Yeah, lot's o'stuff," Zangetsu said sheepishly. "It's interesting. Not that Ichigo is consciously aware of it. Your wielder has places like that, right?"

"Oh yes," Benihime said wondering what it was that could make a hollow embarrassed. None of the other Visored had hollowfied zanpakutou that showed as much emotion as this one did. "There are secret passages all over the palace where no light shines." She smiled back at the Quincy. "But for all the secrets Kisuke-chan hides, Ichigo-kun is much more mysterious just by being."

"Really? How's that?"

She blinked at the Hollow. He looked truly confused by her words. "You do not see how unique you are?"

"There are eight more just like me," The Hollow said with a snort.

Benihime crossed her arms under her ample cleavage and narrowed her eyes at the oblivious hollow. She was also fingering her fan with the intent of smacking the annoyance.

The Quincy saw the incoming danger and jumped off of his flag pole to join the other two before things got out of hand. There had already been several arguments over misunderstandings and the hollow's crude mouth.

Sometimes the hollow did not see that what came so naturally to him was by definition alien to everyone else, and he was less than polite in pointing out that it should be obvious. The Quincy could see the confusion on Benihime's face and decided to intervene. It had fallen to him to play the translator between the two zanpakutou spirits.

"This is how it has always been for us," The Quincy said as he landed between the two. "It is not so mysterious when it is all that you know."

"I see," Benihime said fanning herself lightly. Her previous anger forgotten. "You know, I thought this arrangement strange at first, but you two work together more like a dual zanpakutou than two separate spirits," And the combined spirit that they could become didn't look half bad if she was telling the truth.

"King ain't able to use our full power yet. He don't even know about the Quincy. Thinks he's Zangetsu and I'm just a parasite. That's why he lost his abilities using Mugetsu," The Hollow said.

The Quincy stared at the hollow. 'Our full power?' What did the infernal being know that he did not. The Hollow acted as if they were a single zanpakutou, when clearly he was not a zanpakutou at all. Come to think of it so did Benihime. He grunted at that realization, paired it with the fact that he had had to be present for the bonding ceremony and came to an unsatisfactory conclusion before dismissing the whole thing as preposterous.

"So in order to use Mugetsu without the devastating effects there is a need for a perfect balance?" Benihime asked. She was just as smart as her wielder no matter what any of those other stupid hollowfied zanpakutou spirits said. Truly, they were animals. She growled at the memory of Tachikaze saying that as a woman she should ask her wielder for permission before coming to a conclusion about their situation.

The two men stared at her. The Hollow was clearly impressed, and the Quincy taken aback. When she noticed their reactions Benihime blushed and smoothed her kimono primly. "Pardon me. I was lost in an unpleasant memory," She said looking away from the pair clearly embarrassed by her show of emotion.

"Unpleasant memories are fine," The Hollow said softly drawing her eyes back to him. A sad smile grazed the his face. "Reacting ta 'em with anger is even better, a lot better than lettin' it eat at ya and drive ya into despair. Sometimes it's even better ta share those memories and how they make ya feel, ya know?"

Benihime considered the Hollow's words carefully. She had thought that the Quincy would be the source of Ichigo's surprising insight into others emotions. This was a very intriguing hollow indeed. "Would you mind if I told Kisuke-chan about this dynamic? His curiosity is about to eat him alive. It is time for me to drop some hints."

"Kisuke listens to you?" The Hollow asked a little jealous. He would never admit it, but loosing the connection with Ichigo was as hard on him as it was for Ichigo.

"Only when he does not think he has a better idea," Benihime said wryly. "I'm sure that Ichigo-kun listens to you much more than Kisuke-chan listens to me."

"Nah, not at all. King thinks I'm going to take over his body and eat his family's souls," Benihime jerked in surprise hearing that. Never had she ever thought a zanpakutou would even contemplate such a thing. She turned to the Quincy for conformation and maybe some assurance, but he was not even paying attention to her.

"And where did Ichigo get that idea?" The Quincy demanded angrily raising his voice for the first time in Benihime's presence.

"Ya were th' one that wanted ta play good zanpakutou, bad zanpakutou ta push King past his limits. I just wanted ta beat it into 'im," The Hollow hollered back.

Benihime smirked at the byplay. Evidently, there was a bit of a disagreement between the two on how Ichigo should be trained. It was enlightening.

"You were the one who started the whole thing by saying that Ichigo wouldn't trust you if he saw you. I just helped out," The Quincy said mustache quivering in anger.

Or not. These two seemed to work in tandem to train Ichigo. One set impossible limits and the other threatened to destroy him if he didn't surpass those limits. She could almost feel sorry for the boy, If it wasn't so obvious that it worked quite well. "How about we go to the palace where we can sit and continue this conversation," She suggested coyly.

The Hollow turned his attention to her and wrinkled his nose. "I don't like throne rooms, especially if I have to stand." He said.

"I would have to agree. It is less than ideal," The Quincy stated.

Benihime chuckled. The one thing these two agreed on was their pride. "There are many other rooms we can adjourn to," She said. "A throne room is used to look impressive. It is not even the most important room in the palace."

"Then what is?" The Hollow asked suspiciously.

"I would guess the library," The Quincy muttered. When the Hollow glared at him, he explained. "Kisuke is a very intelligent man. There must be some representation of it in his inner world."

"All true," Benihime said happy that at least one of them understood the layout of the palace, at least in part. "There is also a nice little parlor where we can sit comfortably in plush velvet chairs and have a nice cup of tea."

"Velvet?" The Hollow asked trying not to seem too eager. He had heard of the stuff before, but Ichigo wasn't much into sensual pleasures to the Hollow's chagrin.

__Hook, line and sinker. __Benihime thought to herself. This was a nice world and the sun felt good on her skin, but she wanted them back in her world so that she could grill them on a few interesting things she had noticed here. She always did prefer to have advantage of the terrain whenever she had a battle to fight after all, whether it was physical or intellectual.

2

Ichigo slept well that night, lulled to sleep by the contentment he felt at finally having confessed his feelings for Kisuke. He slept deeply and well into the morning not noticing that his father hadn't woken him up with his customary good morning attack. His eyes fluttered open gently in the sunlight streaming in from his window and stretched languidly. Then he looked at his alarm clock. The one he had forgotten to set the night before, because he was so used to waking up to Isshin's yelling.

Once Ichigo comprehended the time he sat bolt up right in bed and flung himself at his closet. He was going to be late for school. He slammed open the closet door and grabbed a clean uniform.

"Hey Ichigo," Kon said petulantly from the corner of the closest that he had claimed as his own after Rukia had left. "Some of us are trying to sleep here."

"Shut up Kon. I'm gong to be late enough as it is without having to deal with your whining," Ichigo said buttoning his shirt. "Why didn't dad wake me up this morning like he usually does? It's annoying as hell, but it is an effective alarm clock."

"Eh? Ichigo you know why. It's the yearly parent/ teacher conference at your sisters' school. You told me all about it. Something about updates on their school life or some such," Kon said falling over backward. "It's sad that you rely more on your dad trying to kick your ass to get up rather than an alarm clock."

"No one asked you," Ichigo said wishing that he had the time to beat the stuffing out of the plushy. I'm going to be late." Ichigo grabbed his school bag and ran down the stairs cursing the whole way. "I can't believe I forgot about that appointment." He ran out the door without breakfast and forgetting the bento Yuzu had left for him in the fridge. He sprinted the whole way to school and made it to the class room just as the bell rang for home room.

Ichigo crashed through the classroom door oblivious to the spectacle he was causing. He bent over breathing hard right there in front of the entire class. He might have been embarrassed if he wasn't so shocked by how out of shape he was. Back when he was a Shinigami that run would have barely phased him. Maybe he should ask Kisuke if he would spar with him while he was human. He trusted Kisuke to hold back, sort of.

"Kurosaki-kun, take your seat, please," His teacher said studying him closely. She pushed her glasses up her nose.

Ichigo looked up to see the whole class staring at him. He straitened up and tried not to blush. So much for not attracting so much attention this year. He was starting to think that his hair wasn't the only thing that made him stand out. "Sorry Sensei."

He took his seat near the back of the class next to Mizuiro. As the class president, Ishida, started the morning announcements Mizuiro turned to Ichigo. "Why were you late, and more importantly arriving at school out of breath?" He asked curiously. "Has someone finally been able to best you at fighting?" Mizuiro was well aware that there were very few things that could make Ichigo run, and that he had more of a habit of running toward dangerous things rather than away. This could be serious. Ichigo had caught the eye of the yakuza before.

Ichigo scoffed, "Of course not. My alarm clock had to go to a parent teacher conference this morning at my sisters' school. I ran all the way here in under ten minutes. It's no big deal."

Mizuiro opened his mouth to say something then closed it. "Your alarm clock had to go to a parent teacher conference?" He asked slowly trying to picture a giant alarm clock sitting at a student's desk.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Otherwise know as my father."

"Oh?" Mizuiro said still trying to wrap his brain around the concept. He shook his head and gave up. "Ten minutes from your house is impressive though."

"It was nothing. Though I do seem to be out of shape," Ichigo frowned at his desk.

Mizuiro shook his head in disbelief. He knew where Ichigo lived. Most people couldn't make that run at all. He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the teacher.

"Kurosaki, Mizuiro," The teacher called from the front of the room. "Pay attention. Whatever you have to say to each other can wait."

Ichigo looked up to see Ishida giving him a dirty look for interrupting his announcements. He groaned and sat back in his chair. He could never catch a break.

It was not until after lunch that Ichigo had a chance to talk to his friends. As the class broke up to go their separate ways, Ichigo caught up to Orihime, Ishida and Chad before they could leave the classroom without him. The implications annoyed him to say the least. "Hey guys," Ichigo greeted with a wave.

"Ichigo-kun," Orihime greeted in a soft voice. "How was your morning? You seemed a bit rushed today."

"I woke up late is all," Ichigo answered with a shrug. He didn't think that it was all that big of a deal.

"You just had to make a spectacle of yourself," Ishida sniffed. He pushed up his glasses and glared at Ichigo.

"Not my fault," Ichigo said automatically, bristling at the other boy's words even though he knew it was an attempt to annoy him and make him leave.

"The hell it wasn't," Ishida shot back.

Ichigo took a deep breath, "Or maybe Mr. Perfectionist didn't like to be interrupted while giving announcements."

"Guys, can we all just calm down," Orihime said before Ichigo could reply. She held her hands up between the two to prevent one of their 'fights'. "I'm sure that Ichigo-kun wasn't late of purpose," She said to Ishida patting him on the arm. This seemed to calm Ishida down considerably. Ichigo shifted uncomfortably. He recognized many of the mannerisms that he had been using around Kisuke for the past few months. It was weird for him to be the first in the group to recognize something like that.

"Fine," Ishida said reluctantly. "I'm sorry for my behavior Kurosaki."

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the delivery. How long had they been friends again? But accepted the apology anyway. "It's no problem. Sorry I interrupted your announcements." All he got in return was a curt nod, but this was Ishida. A nod was the equivalent of a full bow.

"You have something you want to tell us," Chad said breaking his silence. Ichigo's lips twitched. Leave it to the big guy to know him the best.

Still, Ichigo pursed his lips in indecision. Why was he so eager to tell his friends about Kisuke and him anyway? Sure Kisuke had said that he didn't want to hide their relationship, but they would find out at some point or another anyway. Such as when they dropped by the shop and caught them kissing, or out in public on a date, or when Kisuke randomly groped him. As a mater of fact, those were three very compelling reasons to give his friends some fore warning. But none of those were main reason. For the first time since he had lost his Shinigami abilities, Ichigo was excited about something. Then a realization almost made him smack himself. He was acting like a teenage girl who wanted to tell her friends that she had met the man of her dreams. Damn it.

"Uh, it's kind of private," Ichigo finally got out. "Maybe we should go up to the roof." His nervousness was making him more aware of the few groups clumped around the classroom than he had ever been in the past.

"Well-" Orihime started. "We were going to be talking about... um... sumo wrestling!" Ishida smacked his forehead. Orihime went on obliviously. "I know you don't like the sport, so you might get bored."

"Sumo wrestling, huh?" Ichigo deadpanned. He crossed his arms over his chest. His friends really had to stop letting Orihime lie for them. Both Chad and Ishida were staring at the back of her head in disbelief.

"Yes, very important," Orihime said. She was sweating now. "I know you aren't a fan so..umm... we wouldn't want to put you out..." She trailed off.

"Yeah, sounds important. Almost as important as the rise in hollow activity around town," Ichigo said dryly making all three of his friends flinch. They hadn't expected him to know about it, but the great thing about hanging around Kisuke's shop all the time was that the man had no problem telling him about the spiritual activity in the living world. Kisuke had mentioned an unusual amount of hollows in town weeks ago along with a stern warning not to run around at night, just in case.

All three of them looked frozen as if they were caught doing something naughty. "It's not like you guys need to hide it from me," Ichigo said exasperated.

"We did not want to remind you of what you had lost," Chad said sadly.

"Remind me?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "Did you actually think that I could forget?" A look of consternation crossed his face. He had not meant to say that. "Never mind. Go ahead. I'll be on the roof. You guys have fun," He said walking away from the group.

"Ichigo," Ishida called after him. "Didn't you have something that you wanted to tell us?"

"No thanks. It can wait." Ichigo didn't even turn around. Once he had turned the corner Ichigo leaned back against the wall. That had not gone at all like he had planned. This was so much worse than admitting that he was gay. He took a deep breath and headed up to the roof where he knew he would find Mizuiro and Keigo, and since Orihime was busy maybe Tatsuki and Chizuru would join them as well.

"Hey Ichigo," Keigo waved him over. Ichigo crouched next to Mizuiro, the only sane one of the group that wouldn't hit him if he said something that she did not like. His eyes slid over to Tatsuki, who was busy eating her bento and talking with Chizuru.

"Hey guys," Ichigo said by way of greeting.

"No lunch today?" Mizuiro asked noting that Ichigo hadn't brought anything with him to eat.

"It's probably still sitting in the fridge where Yuzu usually leaves it..." Ichigo said.

"Are you hungry? I've got enough for two," Tatsuki broke in. She always had enough for two. It was part of her plan to introduce Orihime to normal foods.

"No thanks, I'm not all that hungry anyway," Ichigo said. That little all too revealing talk with his friends was making his stomach turn.

"They freeze you out?" Keigo asked knowingly. Ichigo stared at his most annoying friend. "Trust me dude, everyone here knows how you feel. You guys were all so secretive before that butterfly guy tried to kill us all."

"Keigo!" Tatsuki admonished.

Ichigo winced. It was difficult to hear the truth, and even more difficult to hear it from Keigo. "Sorry guys, I didn't know you all felt left out."

A silence descended on the group.

"Apology accepted," Mizuiro said. He took a sip of his juice box. "Though in your defense, I would have thought that you were insane. So not telling me worked in your favor. The most annoying part of it though is that nothing you say or do is very interesting to them anymore, right?" He glanced slyly at Ichigo. "So what is the big news anyway?"

Ichigo sat back against the concrete wall and gazed at the skyline. "This is not how I expected this to go," He finally said.

"Not going to tell?" Chizuru piped up. "Is it that juicy?" She leaned forward in anticipation of a revelation. Which it was. Yes, Chizuru was going to love this.

"I would rather wait until I can tell them too," Ichigo answered slowly, hoping that he was making the right choice. Chizuru's face fell in disappointment.

"Why wait?" Tatsuki challenged. "Are we not good enough for you?"

Ichigo shook his head din denial. Just how mad were they at not being told about Shinigami and Hollows? "No, It's just that I would rather they not hear about this second hand. And I assume I got ten seconds after I say anything before it's all over the school."

"Ooooo, very juicy," Chizuru said rubbing her hands together.

Tatsuki frowned. "They have been hard to pin down lately, haven't they? Do you happen to know why?"

Ichigo shrugged. "All I know is that hollows have been more active lately, and I know that second hand. I can't even sense them anymore."

There was another long silence following his statement.

"So that is what all the howling at night is about," Chizuru said shivering. "My family thinks I"m crazy. I wont even go out at night anymore."

Tatsuki gave Ichigo a look best described as pity, and that made Ichigo feel even worse about his situation. The walls he had painstakingly erected between himself and that sense of loss had started to crumble. "You gave up a lot to save us from that maniac, to save everyone," She said solemnly. "Has anyone ever thanked you for that?"

"No," Ichigo said reluctantly. "Not directly anyway."

"Oh, well I know it's a little late, but thank you," Tatsuki said looking at the ground. She was a little ashamed of herself for not thinking to do this sooner. The others mumbled shy thanks in echo of Tatsuki.

Ichigo leaned back blinking against the tears trying to form in his eyes. This was affecting him way too much. He cleared his throat a couple of times and tried to get a hold of himself.

To say 'your welcome' seemed a bit – well it didn't seem like enough. "I'm just glad that you all are alright," He said instead when he was sure that he would not start crying. Ichigo wished fervently that he had a reset button. "I'm going to try to tell them again after school."

The others nodded in understanding. They were invited to come too.

"Aww, I have swimming after school today," Chizuru complained. "I'm going to miss it."

"I'll tell you later," Tatsuki said annoyed that Chizuru would ruin the moment.

Ichigo stared off into the distance for the rest of lunch and let the others talk around him.

3

Ichigo was subdue for the rest of the school day. He had not realized that he had been so distant from his friends. He had been trying so hard to keep occupied. His new job, the after school sports clubs he joined for a small fee, they looked to be a good thing on the surface, but in truth he was just trying not to think. Maybe moving on was not a good thing for him. It was great and all that his life was going well, but his friendships were falling apart.

Once the final bell rang he caught up with Chad and Orihime again. Orihime was visibly nervous to see him. She kept fidgeting and stared at the ground. As Tatsuki caught up with them she seized onto the distraction that the other girl provided immediately.

"Ah, Tatsuki-chan, did you want to come over and study tonight?" Orihimi asked. "That history test tomorrow seems hard, and you know how I am with dates," She let out a nervous laugh.

Tatsuki spared Ichigo a glance that clearly said that she would be speaking with Orihime later. Ichigo almost told her not to bother, but the spunky girl would probably do a better job at clearing the air than he would.

"Sure, I'll walk home with you," Tatsuki said. "Just let me text my mom so she wont worry." She pulled out her phone and started punching buttons.

By this time Mizuiro and Keigo had caught up to the group. Both trying to act nonchalant with varying degrees of success, Mizuiro being success and Keigo practically jumping up and down in barely contained excitement. Both Chad and Orihime eyed the pair suspiciously. Both Mizuiro and Keigo lived in the opposite direction as the rest of them. The pair was beginning to suspect that something was up.

"Where is Ishida?" Ichigo asked not bothering to greet either Orihime or Chad. His eyes scanned the school yard.

"Oh, he left already. He said he had something that he had to do," Orihime said helpfully.

"Tch, typical," Ichigo scoffed.

"Come on Ichigo, It's not like he is avoiding you or anything," Mizuiro said. Both Orihime and Chad flinched at the words. Ichigo had to admit that Mizuiro of all his friends knew how to make proper use of his words.

"And you had something you wanted to tell everyone, right?" Keigo asked in what he probably thought was an encouraging way. Ichigo wondered idly if he had punched Keigo yet today for being an idiot.

Mizuiro rolled his eyes. "Keigo."

"What?" Keigo asked obliviously. "He made such a big deal about it over lunch that it has me curious. Aren't you?"

Well that put Ichigo on the spot. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as everyone's attention turned to him. He felt like he might as well be on stage to announce that he was gay. "Eh, well," He stammered blushing.

Before he could get over his embarrassment everyone snapped around to stare off into the distance. Ichigo frowned in the direction they were looking. "Hollow?" He asked already knowing the answer. Someone up there must hate him. Though secretly he was glad to not have everyone staring at him.

"Yes," Chad said. "We should go." He looked apologetically to Ichigo.

Ichigo sighed. "Go. It can wait," He said. Chad took off running. Orihime blushed and stammered an apology before running after him.

"That went well," Tatsuki said patting Ichigo on the shoulder sympathetically. "I'll have a talk with Orihime."

"I'm starting to wonder if it is worth the trouble," Ichigo mumbled. "Well, I'm off. See you later."

"Ichigo, should you be alone right now?" Keigo asked in one of his few insightful moments. "You've had a rough day."

Ichigo smiled a bit thinking of Kisuke. "I wont be alone," He told his friends. Tatsuki and Keigo looked confused, but Mizuiro's eyebrows shot up clear into his hairline. He grabbed both Keigo and Tatsuki by the shoulders before they could say anything else. "Okay Ichigo. We'll give you some space. Have fun," He said pulling the other two back.

Keigo opened his mouth to protest and Mizuiro stepped on his foot. Ichigo turned back around at the loud yelp to see Mizuiro waving at him. "See you tomorrow," He called. Ichigo shook his head at his friends' antics and turned to head toward Kisuke's.

4

Ichigo waltzed into the shop as if nothing had happened that morning. The walk between school and Kisuke's was more than long enough for him to get a hold of himself.

Tessai put the box he was holding down on the counter when the teen greeted him with a casual wave and followed the show back into the store room.

Kisuke was standing in the middle of the room looking at the shelves with dismay and wondering if organization was some kind of mythological creature. He was surprised when the person coming up behind him put their arms around his waist and hugged him close. There was only one person who would do that, and she would not have hugged him so much as pounced him. He was even more surprised when he did not instinctively attack the one who dared to get that close. He turned his head and saw bright ginger hair. Make that two people who could come so far into his personal space without getting maimed.

"Ichigo," Kisuke said, surprise lacing his voice. He had fully expected Isshin to forbid Ichigo from ever coming back, but in retrospect forbidding Ichigo to do something rarely got one anywhere. Since Isshin was, in theory, not an idiot and knew his own son, the man should know better. "Your father let you come back," He said with a voice choked up with an emotion he didn't dare put a name to yet. He turned to face the younger man careful to stay within the circle of those strong arms.

"Yeah, he did," Ichigo said with a shy smile and a quick kiss. "Though he is all for us waiting to have sex. He said something about you not being worth the time if you couldn't wait that long."

Kisuke took a moment to enjoy the slight but genuine smile on Ichigo's usually scowling face, and had a sudden flash of pride when he realized he was the reason that it was there. "I'm so glad that Isshin has so much faith in me," He said wryly.

Ichigo's smile widened. He liked it when Kisuke got riled up because of him. "But that doesn't mean that you can't touch me at all," He soothed his hand grazing down Kisuke's arm.

Kisuke spluttered at the forwardness. Honestly, he didn't know why he had thought that Ichigo would be a shy teenager in love. The boy never really did anything where he did not charge in head long. It was a surprising mix of innocence and confidence that quite frankly excited Kisuke quite a bit. He leaned in close and let his breath feather across Ichigo's cheeks teasingly. "Sounds like fun," He said lowering his voice seductively. "But can you last a whole two months with out jumping me?"

"Sure he can," A voice said from very, very close. "But can you?" Kisuke could feel the air from the words brush against his cheek. __Damn she's good.__He thought to himself.

Ichigo startled so violently that he threw himself back into the shelves with a loud thump and many precariously stacked boxes rattled in response. Both men had been so focused on each other that they had not noticed Yoruichi come into the room, greet Tessai at the door with a thumbs up and a mischievous grin, and stick her face right up next to the two love birds. To her own surprise she had gotten close enough to count nose hairs.

Kisuke's only physical reaction was to frown. "As usual, Yoruichi-san, you know exactly how to kill the mood."

Ichigo pulled himself up by grabbing onto one of the shelves with considerably more force than was completely necessary. The old wooden shelf creaked in protest. Could he please have five minutes where things went exactly as they should go for once. Heart beating wildly and body thrumming with a sudden shot of adrenaline, he rounded on Yoruichi. "What the hell!?" He demanded his face bright red. "And how come I can see you? And why the hell are you wearing that!?"

"Hehe, you are still fun to tease," Yoruichi said fondly. She patted Ichigo on the arm. "To answer your first question: a little birdy told me that you and Kisuke had hooked up, so I had to come see for myself," She grinned at Kisuke, all teeth. "No sex huh? That almost makes up for you putting my gigai in a Hello Kitty sundress." Her eyes darkened and her smile got harder. "Almost."

Kisuke was too busy giving Tessai the stink eye to notice the blatant threat. "Are you sure it wasn't a great big ostrich that told you?" He asked.

Tessai pointedly adjusted his glasses. It was an admission of guilt as far as Kisuke was concerned.

"So you are in a gigai," Ichigo stated relaxing a bit. He probably should have thought of that first actually. "But that still doesn't explain why you are wearing Kisuke's clothes." And he wasn't jealous, not at all. It was fucking clothes damn it, hobo-esque clothes at that.

Yoruichi looked down at her attire with a sigh and then at Kisuke who was wearing an exact replica. "Did you miss the part the part about the Hello Kitty sundress? That insipid one dimensional mascot is an insult to cats everywhere." She crossed her arms and glared at Kisuke. "I don't know which part is worse that you would think it was funny for me to wear something that is the complete antithesis of cat kind, or that you think I would wear something that depicts decapitated cat heads." She turned back to Ichigo. "I wouldn't be caught dead in that dress, and I couldn't find my usual clothes. I borrowed some of Kisuke's. There is no need for you to be jealous."

Ichigo blinked incredulously. He turned to Kisuke. "Cat kind?"

"Let it go," Kisuke warned.

Ichigo realized that he was pointing at Yoruichi for some reason, and he was pretty sure he had been about to say something to her. It would have been pithy and intelligent, perhaps even quotable. But Yoruichi's Hello Kitty rant had effectively derailed any thought process he had had. Taken in context his boyfriend's sense of humor was rather dark and more than a bit twisted.

"Look, I am happy for you both," Yoruichi said dropping her arms. "You two deserve some happiness. Especially you Kisuke. Don't you dare start to think that Ichigo would be better off without you," She stalked up to her best friend and stared him in the eyes. "But if you hurt him Kisuke..." She trailed off leaving the threat hanging. Kisuke knew exactly what she was capable of. He could fill in the blanks.

"I am so glad that my friends have such faith in me," Kisuke muttered pulling down his hat to shade his eyes.

Yoruichi grinned and winked at Tessai. "And since you two deserve each other, I will do my part along with Tessai here and chaperon you two. Right big guy?" Tessai nodded in the affirmative.

Without turning around Yoruichi thrust a finger out under Kisuke's nose. "Say one word, and I will defiantly be planning a fucking wedding."

Kisuke's mouth clicked shut. Ichigo would kill him if Yoruichi decided to announce the loss of his virginity in that way, and he was fairly sure that he would be the one shoved into a woman's kimono for the occasion. Yoruichi was sadistic like that.

Ichigo rubbed his eyes to ease a budding headache. It was great to see Yoruichi again, but it had been a long day already, and he was not equipped to handle her outside of a life threatening situation. He faded into the background next to Tessai and watched the other two argue about... Well, he wasn't really sure what they were arguing about at the moment. For some odd reason they had moved from Kisuke's and his hypothetical wedding -shudder- to sake preferences. Ichigo glanced up at Tessai when he heard him laugh softly.

"So this is how you entertain yourself?" Ichigo asked.

The big man shrugged. "I started to write down their rambling conversations decades ago. It passes the time."

"Oh," Ichigo said. He hadn't really paid much attention to Tessai. He just always seemed to be there whenever his assistance was needed and then disappeared again without comment. But Ichigo figured that he was a fount of information on both Kisuke and Yoruichi. "She wont really plan a wedding for us will she?" He asked hoping that the answer was no.

Tessai studied his friends a bit longer. Kisuke and Yoruichi had moved on to pros and cons of the advancement of society in the living world. If they stayed true to form the next topic should swing back around to where Ichigo and Kisuke should go for their first date. Which was where most other people would have started this conversation. "Chances are she is planning one right now," He smiled as Ichigo choked. Yes this boy would be a very interesting addition to the show. "Don't worry so much. The execution of the wedding plans depends wholly on how well behaved Kisuke is."

Ichigo groaned out loud.

Tessai chuckled. At least the kid wasn't completely ignorant of what he was getting into, namely trouble. And even better Ichigo made things a lot more interesting. It had been a long time since one of his friends had threatened the other with holy matrimony.

A pair of arms wrapped around Ichigo's waist, and he instinctively leaned back into Kisuke. "So are you going to get around to telling me what is bothering you, or are you just going to continue to ignore it?" The blond whispered into his ear.

Ichigo stiffened in the embrace. He had thought that Kisuke hadn't noticed. No one ever had before. He looked around the store room suddenly aware of how many people were shoved in so small of a space. "Um."

Kisuke gently pulled him out the door and walked him toward the kitchen. The others following closely behind. "Let's get more comfortable first. Tessai, some tea for our guests please," He said leading Ichigo into the kitchen by force.

"Yes, boss."

As Tessai made the tea the others sat around the table. Ichigo kept shooting glances at both Tessai and Yoruichi. He wondered if Kisuke was going to insist on a full explanation with them in the room. He was alright unburdening himself to Kisuke, but not the other two.

Kisuke smile wryly. "I can ask them to leave if you wish, but that does not mean they will not find out anyway."

Yoruichi nodded in agreement. "I do have my ways," She said mysteriously.

Ichigo wondered if they included listening from behind a closed door as his sisters were prone to do. He pursed his lips. He got the idea, but that did not mean he wanted spill everything in front of so many people. What if they decided that he was weak?

"How did you even know that something was bothering me?" He asked instead. Ichigo had thought that he had covered up is disappointment better than that.

Kisuke shrugged as Tessai served the tea for them. "I have been watching you for awhile now. I know your mannerisms quite well enough to know when you are upset, if not why." He sipped his tea.

Ichigo sipped his own tea. He should have known. Kisuke was a master manipulator after all.

Kisuke reached out and took Ichigo's hand. "I would be extremely gratified if you would trust me with your feelings."

Ichigo felt his face heat up again. He had been blushing way too much lately. He had to work on that. He glanced at Yoruichi who was too busy staring at Kisuke completely gobsmacked. She had never seen her friend be so sincere to any of his lovers. She was starting to believe that this one could be different.

"Well," Ichigo said. Kisuke's words made him much more secure in spite of his misgivings. "I tried to tell my friends about us today."

"They didn't take it well?" Kisuke asked with a frown.

"I didn't get a chance to tell them," Ichigo growled. Even the memory of his friends blowing him off rubbed him the wrong way. "They ran off to discuss the hollows."

Kisuke blinked. He was sure he was not getting the whole picture here. "And?"

Ichigo glared at him. "And they lied about it. Something stupid about sumo wrestling, as if I couldn't see right through that. If they wanted to talk about hollows that's fine, but I'm not a little kid. They could have just told me that."

"Hmm," Kisuke glanced over at Yoruichi who shrugged lazily. She wouldn't interfere unless he went too far. He grabbed Ichigo's arm and pulled the young man into his lap.

Ichigo yelled in protest completely taken by surprise by the maneuver. He glared over his shoulder at Kisuke once he had settled himself more comfortably, and in a less embarrassing position. "Warn me next time," He said hitting Kisuke's arm that was wrapped securely around his waist.

Kisuke responded with a tightening embrace. "You looked like you needed a hug," He said in a sing song voice. Ichigo growled at him. "Is that all that is bothering you?" Kisuke asked knowing that while Ichigo had not lied about how he felt about his friends lying to him the hot-headed young man would have told them on the spot how he felt about that not stew over it for hours.

Ichigo slumped back into Kisuke's arms. When he saw Yoruichi with tea cup in hand and a raised eyebrow at the pair's behavior, Ichigo silently dared her to make him move. She quirked her lips and drank her tea.

"Well, I spoke to my other friends about it," Ichigo said slowly in answer to Kisuke's question. "They are still mad that they were left out with the whole Shinigami thing and the Winter War." Ichigo stopped. He wasn't quite ready to tell Kisuke – he looked at the other two in the room- and friends, about how much it had hurt when Tatsuki had thanked him for saving her life. "I guess that we aren't as close as we were when I was still a Shinigami," He finished lamely.

"I see," Kisuke said. "Changes in circumstances necessitate changes in friendships," He said slowly. He smiled at Yoruichi. The two of them had gone through too many changes in their relationship over the years to count. "You don't have to worry over loosing your fiends. Everything should be fine as ling as you don't give up. You may have to work harder at your friendship for awhile, but it will be worth it in the end."

Ichigo thought about what Kisuke said. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful for the advice and the reassurance, but this conversation was getting way to serious for him. Ichigo turned so that he could see Kisuke's profile. "Your age is showing. Ow!" Ichigo jumped and rubbed his butt. The bastard had pinched him!

Kisuke grinned at him unrepentant. "Brat," He said fondly.

Yoruichi laughed at the both of them. "Okay, I have seen all I need to see. You two are beyond cute together." Both men blushed at her words. She turned to Tessai. "I never thought that Ichigo would be a cuddler."

"Most surprising," Tessai agreed.

"Hey!" Ichigo yelled. He was very embarrassed by Yoruichi's words, but was just as clearly not moving from Kisuke's lap. He felt Kisuke's lips brush the back of his neck and barely bit back another yelp.

"Now let's talk about something more fun," Yoruichi said winking at them.

"What?" Kisuke asked suddenly very suspicious.

"Where you two are going to go for your first date," Yoruichi said with glee. "Oh, I do hope it's expensive and there's good sake."

"You act like you would be there," Ichigo griped.

"Yes, I will be. I said I was your chaperon, didn't I?" She answered grinning.

"You are going to take that roll very seriously, aren't you?" Kisuke asked with dismay. "I thought that you would be on my side."

"I am. That's why I intend to keep you from screwing this up." Yoruichi reached past Ichigo and flicked the brim of Kisuke's hat.

"Ah, well then I should take some time to think about this then," Kisuke said fixing his hat. His mind was already hard at work planning.

"You don't have to do anything special for me," Ichigo whispered. He was shocked that they were making such a big deal of this. He passionately wished for some alone time with Kisuke.

Kisuke turned Ichigo to face him. "Yes. I think I do," He said looking into Ichigo's chocolate brown eyes.

Ichigo felt a warmth spread through his chest at Kisuke's words. He would never admit it out loud, but he loved it when Kisuke said things like that. It made him feel wanted -special. Ichigo leaned in and gave Kisuke a quick kiss.

When he tried to pull back Kisuke didn't let him go. The blond deepened the kiss slipping his tongue past Ichigo's lips. Ichigo froze for a second not sure what to do next, before tentatively returning the kiss. As the kiss heated up Ichigo felt hands graze his skin underneath his shirt. A pleasant shiver ran down his spine at the touch.

"Alright, that's enough for now," Yoruichi said.

Ichigo, who had all but forgotten her presence pulled back as if he had been stung. "S-sorry," He stammered.

"No, I'm sorry," Kisuke said staring down at the table. He tried to ignore the warm body still in his lap. "I should not have done that." In the next second Kisuke licked his lips to savor the taste of his young lover.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes at her friend. "Ichigo maybe you should go home. Give Kisuke here some time to cool off."

Kisuke frowned at his best friend, but he knew that she was right. He needed some time away from Ichigo or he would end up breaking his promise on the first full day of their courtship. "Yoruichi-san is right, Ichigo," He smiled. "That and I do have a date to plan."

"Yeah," Ichigo said reluctantly and then he looked at his watch. "Shit! I'm going to be late!" He jumped out of Kisuke's lap and ran for the door.

"Ichigo?" Kisuke asked curious about the young man's sudden change in behavior.

Ichigo turned back at the door way. "I promised Yuzu that I would have dinner with the family tonight, since I have been spending almost every night here." He darted over and pecked Kisuke on the cheek. "See you later. Bye Yoruichi. It's been fun." He ran out the door.

"Well, today didn't go exactly how I thought it would," Kisuke commented to no one in particular.

"What did you expect?" Yoruichi asked eyeing him.

"A visit from Isshin and Engetsu," Kisuke answered blandly.

Yoruichi nodded. She would have expected something like that too. "He forgot to say goodbye to Tessai," She said waving at the man sitting quietly off to the side.

"He probably forgot that he was there," Kisuke said waving it off. "You did that blending into the background thing that you are so good at when you realized that Ichigo was uncomfortable talking with so many people around, didn't you?" He asked Tessai.

Tessai grunted in the affirmative.

"Thank you for stopping me," Kisuke told Yoruichi.

She shrugged. "It was the right thing to do."

"And why would I want to do the right thing, I wonder," Kisuke asked.

"Because you love this one," Yoruichi suggested studying her friend intently. He was acting very strangely around Ichigo.

"Ah, so this is what love feels like," Kisuke said with a wistful smile.

"That I couldn't tell you."


	3. Chapter 3

1

The palace in which Benihime lives is luxurious and decadent but also very dark. A golden light from an indeterminate origin illuminated just enough to see. All the colors were muted; only the gold gilding on the furniture shone.

The three inner spirits sat in plush wing-back chairs that had populated the more informal areas of the palace since Urahara's first experience with one after being exiled to the living world. Benihime frowned at the Hollow. She refused to be jealous of one of those chairs now.

While the Quincy lounged regally in his own chair as if it were a throne, the Hollow had curled up in his own chair like an over grown cat and was purring contentedly while nuzzling the plush velvet. The Hollow was content to ignore both of his companions for the moment. A moment that was dragging on embarrassingly long for both Benihime and the Quincy.

The Quincy sighed in resignation. This was a new experience for the Hollow who had only experienced the starkness of Ichigo's inner world. He decided that it would be up to him to engage the other zanpakutou spirit in conversation. He cut right to the core of the problem that this arrangement caused him. "I understand why two zanpakutou spirits would want to connect with each other. It could be very lonely trapped alone, but why was my presence needed?"

Benihime turned from glaring at the Hollow to look at the Quincy. She smiled at the reluctant spirit. "You are in denial," She said leaning back in her own chair. "You are also a part of that boy's zanpakutou."

The Quincy's lip curled, "That was only a lie we told Ichigo because he would not have accepted a hollow as a part of himself."

Benihime giggled. "Denial," She repeated. "A zanpakutou spirit would not let another claim such a thing unless it were true."

The Quincy snorted.

"Think about it. If a hollow can be a zanpakutou, why not a Quincy?"

"Hnn."

The Quincy's face had turned into a thunder cloud. Benihime decided to leave the conversation there. Ichigo was a proud young man, and it was a characteristic both the Hollow and the Quincy shared in spades. He would come around eventually. She only had to give him time to get used to the idea. The Crimson Princess used all of her regal baring not to wiggle with glee. The next century or two was going to be so much fun, and challenging. She loved challenges.

The Quincy raised his brow. He had seen the the quick shift of a smile as it briefly graced Benihime's red painted lips. "You seem pleased with these events. Why would you even wish to bind yourself with us?"

Benihime smiled beautifully. That was an easy question to answer. "I want Kisuke-chan to be happy of course. It is a dark and lonely world for one who carries as much guilt as he. I have also always wanted a lover to unburden myself to," She grinned. "Two is even better,and technically now I have three lovers if we count your combined form. None of my other suitors have been nearly as interesting." She glanced over at the Hollow who now seemed to be sleeping with his mouth slightly open. His features were, for once, soft and completely relaxed. He looked a lot more like Ichigo while he slept. "Or as versatile."

The Quincy sighed heavily. The zanpakutou was clearly as insane as its wielder. It was just his luck that he would be spending the rest of his existence with her and the homicidal Hollow. "I have no interest in becoming your lover or joining with that," He gestured at the Hollow," Anymore than necessary."

Benihime smiled even wider. This was so fun. "You know that that is a lie," She said sweetly. "You are interested in me. A woman knows these things, and you care about him too." She gestured at the Hollow. "Most importantly you care about Ichigo." He eyes flashed. "You are a Quincy; I know that. You believe that giving into these feelings of yours is a betrayal of who you are, but it is this pride that will always pit Ichigo against himself and prevent him from realizing his full potential."

"You go too far, woman," The Quincy growled.

"I can go even farther," Benihime hissed. "You and the Hollow are one being, as opposite but as inseparable as Yin and Yang. Because of your nature you will only be whole through trust and acceptance." She dropped her eyes for dramatic effect. It was such a shame that being a zanpakutou spirit kept her from a physical stage. She was really good at this. "Once you can do this I am sure that you will be able to reach Ichigo again."

The Quincy stopped short. Perhaps Benihime was right. It just may be his fault that they were in the situation that they were in. Mugetsu was the final form of Ichigo's bankai. He was undoubtedly a part of that. But there was only one blade for Zangetsu, of that he was sure.

"I should leave," He said stiffly rising from his chair. "While it is pleasant to finally have some intelligent conversation, the topic is quite bothersome. You have given me much to think about." He nodded politely and walked stiffly out the door disappearing back into Ichigo's inner world as he crossed the threshold.

Benihime sighed. That went as well as to be expected. She turned to the recumbent form of the Hollow and kicked his foot. "You can wake up now."

The Hollow's eyes popped open and he grinned at her. "Couldn't 'ave said it better myself," He said bouncing out of his chair. He looked down into Benihime's twinkling eyes and slid into the over-sized chair next to her. It was a tight fit, and Benihime wiggled uncomfortably for a moment before the Hollow picked her up and set her on his lap. He wrapped an arm around her and began nuzzling her ear.

"You do lack a certain ability to express yourself properly," Benihime said as she tilted her head to the side to give him easier access.

The hollow grunted and nipped in warning at her neck. "Ya sayin' I'm stupid?" He growled in her ear. "Jus' like the damn Quincy. 'finally have some intelligent conversation' and all; the dick."

"Only when you open your mouth," Benihime replied impishly. She stroked the Hollow's cheek with her long red nails and smirked when he purred. "But you are far sneakier than you appear, using me to explain his status as a part of Ichigo's soul."

She pouted a bit as the Hollow pulled back to look into her eyes. "That stuck up Quincy wouldn't listen ta me anyway."

"Hmm," Benihime pulled the hollow toward her and rested his head on her chest. She shivered slightly when she felt his tongue graze her skin just above the collar of her kimono. "What exactly did you want from this relationship?"

The Hollow pulled back again to study her. "I want a hot girlfriend," He said with an absolutely straight face.

Benihime rolled her eyes. Her hand slipped into he Hollows' white kosode and her fingers grazed over his hollow hole. It surprised her; it wasn't a hole at all. She did not feel skin beneath her fingertips, but there was some kind of resistance, but no heart beat.

The Hollow sighed and grabbed her hand. "What I really want is to show King that anger and fear aren't the only emotions that he is repressing," He kissed her then tongue exploring her mouth.

Benihime pulled back after a minute panting. The Hollow was a good kisser.

"We are our wielder's souls in their purest form. There are reasons that I am a hollow."

Benihime cocked a brow for him to continue. The look was completely ruined by her flushed cheeks she knew. This hollow was a tricky one indeed. He was trying to distract her from something important. She pulled back from him so that she could look him in the eyes. The wary look she saw there hit her like a bucket of ice water. "And what reason would that be?" She asked reaching out to cup a pale cheek in her hand.

He nuzzled into her palm and nipped at her fingers before replying. "Ichigo isn't afraid of anything. Mostly because he has already conquered his worst fear," The Hollow jabbed his thumb at his chest. "The monster within. He does a good impression, but Ichigo isn't all that ignorant. He knows the deepest corners of his soul, what he is capable of. The only thing he is truly afraid of is what he could do if he let go." His mouth twisted in a sardonic smile. "That was why I couldn't tell him that I was Zangetsu."

Benihime took his hand in hers. She knew that there were some decent hollows out there, or at the very least some decent hollow hybrids. This one was so much more than a monster. She reached out and stroked the Hollow's thigh. His eyes turned pure gold for a split second; the black sclera fading under the expanding iris. It was an interesting effect that Benihime filed away to study later.

"But you said that Ichigo was repressing much more than anger and fear," She asked coyly. "What other emotions is he repressing?" She smiled and pushed down the sleeves of the Hollow's kosode so that she could run her fingers over the surprisingly warm skin. It was fascinating. She had never been this close to a hollow without cutting flesh before. Fingers with long red nails grazed down the Hollow's chest and started to undo his obi. Just because Kisuke wanted to pretend to be all prim and proper didn't mean she had to.

The Hollow's eyes turned gold again, and he reached out to return the favor.

A throat cleared loudly at the door making both lovers jump unexpectedly. The Hollow angrily snapped his head around to yell at the Quincy for interrupting but changed his mind and began howling with laughter when he saw the other spirit.

"Ichigo must be having a bad day," He said for Benihimi's benefit.

The Quincy only grunted in reply. His long black cloak was soaked through and seemed to be very heavy and uncomfortable. His hair was plastered to his head, and his boots squelched as he walked over to one of the vacant chairs.

The Hollow laughed again as the Quincy sat down with a watery flop.

Benihime stared in wide eyed horror at the damp trail leading from the door of her lounge to the slow seeping wetness that was a halo around the Quincy and the chair.

The Quincy looked pathetic. The Hollow knew better. He wrapped his arm around Benihime's waist and pulled her close. "This is what happens when Ichigo is sad," He explained. "After a while it gets depressing."

Benihime stared at her ruined velvet chair and wondered which one to kill.

The Hollow frowned at her. He knew that look; he wore it often enough. "Okay, you have made your point. Get rid of the water."

The Quincy sighed and all of the water vanished. "I hate it when it rains."

Benihime blinked not understanding what had just happened. The Quincy had just essentially brought a part of Ichigo's inner world into Kisuke's. What exactly did that mean?

"Yeah, but it doesn't have to affect you if you don't want it to," He grinned at Benihime. "He can be so melodramatic sometimes." He turned back to the Quincy suddenly serious. "What happened this time?"

"I saw Ichigo's friends telling him that they thought he would be better off without them," The Quincy replied quietly.

"Aw crap. I knew I shudda killed one or two o' them when I had the chance," The Hollow growled raking his nails over the arm of the chair and leaving long gouges.

Benihime closed her eyes and huffed. These two were going to be hard on the furniture. Perhaps the cat would have been a better choice. She stuck her tongue out and reminded herself how that animal drove her crazy. She shifted into a more comfortable position. A position that pressed her further up against the Hollow drawing his attention. "You know that you would never kill one of Ichigo's friends," Benihime asserted.

"Yeah, I know what King needs."

Benihime simpered. It was utterly adorable that such a self important zanpakutou would call anyone king. She yelped when she was flipped underneath the Hollow. He grinned at Benihime as she calculated how long it would take to teach the Hollow manners. She scowled right back, but he seemed unbothered.

"And right now needs a pick me up." The Hollow leaned down to kisser her behind the ear. "He needs to know that someone loves him for who he is and not for how useful he is," He whispered into her ear.

Benihime reached up and played with the Hollow's hair. He really was a sneaky bastard. Manners later. She relaxed and let the neckline of her kimono fall open a little wider. She was all for bonding exercises.

The Hollow dipped down for a long, heated kiss, and then looked over at the stunned Quincy. "Were ya just gonna watch or did ya want to participate?"

2

The next day at school Ichigo planned on telling his friends about Kisuke and himself even if it killed him. They had been shooting him what they thought were covert, worried looks again. That irked him more than anything else about the situation. If they were so worried about him why didn't they just ask? Maybe if they knew that he had someone special in his life they wouldn't be so worried about him and his mental health.

He caught up with the three of them just outside the classroom after the lunch bell. "Hey, you guys think we could talk for a second?" He jerked his head at an empty classroom. Today was Saturday, a half day for classes. After lunch was designated as time for the various clubs the school offered. Ishida and Orihime would disappear into he mounds of fabric that was the sewing crafts club, and Chad would spend his time in the music club practicing his guitar. And then there was the fact that Ichigo had work after school. This would be his last chance to tell them before Monday.

His three best friends traded looks and shrugged at each other. Ichigo couldn't stop a snort of derision. He turned without looking back and stepped into the classroom.

In the classroom it was Ishida who broke the uncomfortable silence. "Well, what do you want Kurosaki?"

Ichigo's brow wrinkled in annoyance, but really he was glad of Ishida's bluntness. The other boy's no nonsense manner made awkward topics like this easier to handle. Even if it was only because Ichigo was usually too pissed off to be embarrassed.

"You guys remember that I wanted to tell you something yesterday?" Ichigo began, choosing the roundabout path anyway.

All three of them nodded. They traded 'I told you so' looks. Ichigo wondered what the hell that was all about. "Anyway," He continued forging on. "I have noticed lately that you guys are worried about me." It wasn't really what he had meant to say, but their behavior lately was suspect. All three froze. Even Chad couldn't shrug it off with his regular laid back manner. "I'm just saying that you don't have too," Ichigo heaved an internal sigh and wondered when in this conversation he was going to man up and spit it out. Honestly, Kisuke must be rubbing off on him. He blushed unintentionally at the image that thought brought up. His friends misinterpreted the response.

"You don't have to say anything else Ichigo-kun," Orihime said clutching her bag close to her chest. She couldn't seem to look at him.

Ishida pinched his nose. "We understand that you are... at loose ends without your Shinigami powers."

"Loose ends?" Ichigo asked. "That's not what I meant at all."

"You have been disappearing a lot lately," Chad stated. "We understand if you need time."

"Time?" Ichigo said suddenly confused. This conversation had left him behind about the time he had opened his own mouth. Now he didn't get what was going on at all.

"It is a sad thing to loose so much. We have been trying to give you your space," Orihime said.

Ichigo opened and closed his mouth a few times in astonishment. Then he got angry. "Is that what you think I have been doing?" He yelled. All three of his companions jumped in surprise. "That I was running off to wallow in self pity? Are you sure that I haven't been around as much because it is you who have been avoiding me?"

"I- uh- that is..." Ishida trailed off for once unsure of what to say to Ichigo. Somehow calling him an idiot didn't fit this situation.

"You shut up," Ichigo commanded pointing at Ishida. Ishida opened his mouth. "Just shut up. Anything you are likely to say will just piss me off even more."

Ishida straitened and nodded silently. Ichigo was right. Their relationship had always been confrontational at best. It would be up to Chad and Orihime to calm Ichigo down.

"We thought that you wouldn't want to talk about it. That was the plan, but as more and more hollow's started to attack it just seemed best not to bother Ichigo-kun with something he could not do anything about," Orihime said near tears.

Ichigo growled. It was a long, low animalistic growl that had all three of his friends backing up a step. At any other time Ichigo would have thought their reactions funny. He with no supernatural abilities was still considered the most dangerous person in the room. Right now he felt like ripping someone's head off.

"So you think that I have spent these last months moping. You think that I'm spiraling into a depression, and not one of you thought to actually talk to me about it? You're so afraid of making me sad that you have NO IDEA WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST YEAR?" Ichigo paused to catch his breath, his chest heaving and his hands clenched painfully at his sides.

He took a few deep breaths and straitened up. "You know what, never mind," He said in a more normal tone. Ichigo turned and headed to the door. "For the record, I had something important to tell all of you. It has noting to do with any of this, but since you can't even be bothered to discuss what is actually happening in my life you can just hear about it when it hits the rumor mill." Ichigo stormed out of the classroom leaving his shocked friends behind.

Ichigo headed into the bathroom to wash his face in cold water and calm down. Afterward he made his way up to the roof to eat lunch with the other half of his group of friend's who hadn't pissed him off today. By the time he made his way up to the roof he had calmed down enough to interact with others without exploding. He crouched down near but not next to Mizuiro and proceeded to glare out at nothing. Mizuiro, Keigo, Tatsuki, and Chizuru stopped eating their lunches and stared at him. A silent conversation between he four ensued where the group tried to decide who was going to ask what was wrong.

Ichigo sucked on his juice box and made the decision for them. "I'm not mad at you guys, so you can go ahead and ask, Tatsuki," He said knowing that she was the bravest out of all of them.

Tatsuki put down her bento and wiped her hands on her skirt. "Alright then, what has you all in a huff?" She asked more confident knowing that Ichigo was not going to shut them out completely.

Ichigo sighed. "Did you guys know that the others have been avoiding me on purpose because they think it will drive me to kill myself or some nonsense?" He took a bite out of his bento and waited for the answer.

"Oh..." Tatsuki studied him closely. "You're not, are you?"

Ichigo sputtered. "NO! Most definitely not!"

How can we be sure you are telling the truth?" Mizuiro asked reasonably. "You have defined yourself as a Shinigami for almost a year, then after you are stripped of your powers in a very dramatic way you start sneaking off alone to who knows where."

"Please don't kill yourself Ichigo!" Keigo yelled falling onto Ichigo. Rivers of tears stared to soak into Ichigo's shirt.

Ichigo pushed him off with enough force to knock him flat on the ground. "For the last time, I'm not going to kill myself. I'm not sneaking off either. I'm going to visit my boyfriend."

Dead silence followed the last statement before...

"Boyfriend!?"

"Ichigo why!?"

"Orihime is mine! All mine!"

"About time."

Everyone looked over at Mizuiro.

"What? Was I really the only one who had Ichigo pegged as gay?" He asked.

Ichigo scowled at Mizuiro. "I didn't even know I was gay. How the hell did you?" He growled.

"Ah, so this has been a time of self discovery," Mizuiro said smiling disarmingly at Ichigo. "You are right we shouldn't worry so much, my apologies."

"But what about Orihime?" Tatsuki asked.

"What about her?"

"You..." Tatsuki huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Seriously? All this time you haven't had a clue?"

Ichigo's gaze shifted from Tatsuki to where Chizuru was doing a very bizarre victory dance, and it clicked.

"Inoue... likes me?" He asked still not sure if he was reading things correctly.

"Sometimes I can't believe how dense you are," Tatsuki said shaking her head.

Ichigo flushed. "But I thought that Ishida liked Inoue," The shocked look on Tatsuki's face surprised him. "You didn't know?"

"I only knew she liked you because she told me," Tatsuki said throwing her hands up in the air.

Before Ichigo could say anything, he felt a hand reach up and grab his wrist. He resisted the urge to throw the person across the roof. He had a feeling he knew who it was anyway. He sighed when he looked down and confirmed that Keigo was on his knees begging him not to be gay.

"Why? Why Ichigo why?" He asked in a broken voice. "We were supposed to be brothers in arms. You were going to be my wing man. The women would love us. You the tough and handsome one, me the dashing and sensitive one, and now you tell me that you are gay?" He clutched at his heart dramatically. "My dreams of an epic bro-team are dead," He lowered his head in defeat.

Ichigo looked over at Mizuiro, his usual translator when Keigo went off on one of his speeches. "What the fuck is he talking about?" He asked jabbing his thumb at Keigo.

"Beats me," Mizuiro said with a shrug. "This is the first time I have heard of it."

By the time the group made it back to class it was obvious that everyone had heard about his accidental rooftop confession. Everyone was trying to look at Ichigo without being noticed and whispering behind their hands. Ichigo pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep calming breath. He was well and truly outed now.

"I am sorry about this," Mizuiro said gesturing at the other students. "I wish we had been more discreet with our reactions."

Ichigo shrugged. "I knew that this would happen pretty much as soon as Keigo found out," He said waving off the apology.

"Yes, but what about the ones who will see this as a weakness? They will attack you, if only to save face for having gotten beat up before by a homosexual."

"I'll do what I always do, beat the shit out of them."

Mizuiro stared at Ichigo amazed by the others confidence in his own abilities. "What about your boyfriend?"

"What about him?"

Mizuiro shook his head at Ichigo's obliviousness. "Some of the less than honorable type will probably go after him to get at you."

Ichigo actually grinned at the thought. "Quite frankly, those will be the ones that no one will ever see again."

Ichigo wondered briefly what Kisuke would actually do to anyone who dared call him a faggot to his face. The blond did have a lot of experiments that required... volunteers, after all.

Mizuiro cocked a brow at Ichigo wondering at the fond smile on Ichigo's face.

Ichigo's grin spread even wider. "He was my first Shinigami instructor, and I have it on good authority that he used to be a spy, if not an assassin. I'm betting on assassin though."

"Ahhhh... yes," Mizuiro felt sweat break out on his brow. Of course Ichigo wouldn't date anyone that couldn't outright kill a normal human without effort. "I pity the idiots," Mizuiro said. Suddenly, he really wanted to meet Ichigo's boyfriend.

3

After school Ichigo avoided his friends like they were the plague. He went as far as diving out of a third story window when he saw Ishida round the corner at the other end of the hall. He had the brief thought while he tucked and rolled that it may be just a bit silly to go to such lengths to avoid his friends, but he did have work and then he wanted to talk to Kisuke. The blond was really good at interpersonal relationships for some unexplained reason; he might know how to fix this situation.

Ichigo felt much better after work. As Kisuke's shop came into view his whole demeanor brightened. Ichigo felt that he was going insane, but he just wanted to be near Kisuke as often as possible. He grumbled to himself about being a hormonal teen and to get a grip on himself. If he had his Shinigami powers he would be too busy killing hollows to worry about cheesy thoughts of love... and other things. Ichigo blushed at the gutter turn his thoughts had taken. Though these thoughts did not stop him from bouncing into the shop and stealing Kisuke's hat right off his head.

Kisuke stopped fussing with a display long enough to frown at Ichigo. Ichigo spun the hat on his finger, one eyebrow lifted in a 'what are you going to do about it' gesture.

"You know, most people who try to touch the hat end up dead," Kisuke said with mock seriousness.

Ichigo shrugged and popped the hat back onto Kisuke's head. "You let me take it. I wouldn't have come within three feet of you otherwise."

"Ten feet," Kisuke said with a grin and pulled Ichigo into a kiss. "Did you have a good day?"

Ichigo growled in response.

"I will take that as a 'no'. Did you want to talk about it?" Kisuke asked actually being sincere for once.

Ichigo's first instinct was to say that he was fine, but if he couldn't talk to Kisuke who was he going to talk to, his dad? Ichigo let out a dry laugh and let Kisuke lead him out onto the back porch where Tessai was already waiting with tea.

Ichigo gaped at the big man. What Tessai lacked in social skills he more than made up for with impeccable timing and tea.

Ichigo sat down and sipped his tea. For once he thought about what he wanted to say. Kisuke seemed to have that effect on him. "I accidentally outed myself to the whole school," Ichigo admitted with a sigh.

Kisuke had the gal to giggle. Ichigo tried to punch him. but the annoying man scooted out of the way. "So? Some of the more annoying riffraff try to beat you up for it?"

"Not yet," Ichigo said shaking his head. First Mizuiro and now Kisuke, why couldn't people understand that that didn't concern him at all. At Kisuke's raised brows Ichigo explained. "I had an argument with Chad, Ishida, and Inoue. I kind of blurted it out while I was with my non-hollow fighting friends."

"I see. I imagined that you would have told your closest friend's first," Kisuke said.

"I tried, twice," Ichigo sighed heavily. He knew he was being over dramatic but getting out his frustrations felt good. It had been a long time since he could take his ire out on an enemy. "They have been avoiding me on purpose."

"Being considerate of feelings they assumed you had. I'm sure." Ichigo looked up at Kisuke's words. That was a strange thing to say. "They probably felt that they were doing you a favor," Kisuke sipped his tea. "Just give them time to realize they have made a mistake and then graciously let them make it up to you in their own time."

"Graciously let them make it up to me?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

"Yes, it will make them feel better," Kisuke said nodding sagely.

"I guess that's good advice..." Ichigo still wasn't convinced.

"Trust me," Kisuke waved him off. "Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about going out on a date tomorrow."

Ichigo choked on the rest of his tea. As he was coughing he noticed a slight smile on Kisuke's mouth. The Son of a Bitch did that on purpose. He let it go and vowed to be on guard for such things in the future. Making people choke in shock was one of the things Kisuke took great pleasure in doing. "A real date? You guys were serious about that?"

Kisuke grinned. "Considering your nervousness over going on an actual date, I have decided on a picnic in the park. We can get out of the shop for a few hours, and we don't have to dress up."

Ichigo smile faintly sensing a weakness. "That wouldn't be a problem if you wore clothes from this century."

"One step at a time Ichigo. We are taking this relationship slowly, remember?" Kisuke replied with a sour look on his face.

4

Later that evening Ichigo walked home in much better spirits than he had had all day. He still had to face his friends again at school, but he felt he could handle it better now and was looking forward to moving passed the misunderstanding. He grinned. If he actually got a reason to punch Ishida for being an ass it would be a plus.

Outside the clinic, Chad was sitting on the curb. Ichigo slowed down his walk and angled toward the other boy. __Well that was fast___, _he thought resignedly. It still annoyed the hell out of him when Kisuke was right. Ichigo liked that. Being able to recognize Kisuke's faults made him feel sane.

"Yo," He greeted Chad as he sat down next to him on the curb. "You know that you could have waited inside for me to get home," Ichigo started awkwardly.

Chad nodded and held up a half empty soda can. Yuzu must have already been down to invite him inside. Ichigo was actually surprised that there wasn't also a dinner plate. Yuzu was just that generous.

"I'm sorry," Chad said once Ichigo was settled. He wasn't the type to beat around the bush and would always readily admit when he was wrong. Ichigo liked that about him, strait forward and to the point.

"You should be. You are proving Kisuke right," Ichigo grumbled.

Chad raised a single brow that said __Yes I know, and what does Urahara have to do with this.__

"I have been hanging out at the shoten. Which you would know if you had asked," Ichigo pointed out. "I'm not running from my past as a Shinigami even if I am not one anymore."

Chad grunted in response.

"Kisuke isn't all that annoying once you get used to him," Ichigo said feeling he should at least try to defend his boyfriend. Though thinking of Kisuke as his boyfriend still felt weird.

Chad grunted again this time more emphatically.

"Of course we're good," Ichigo said with a smile. "I just miss you guys... sans Ishida."

Chad huffed a short laugh.

"Yeah, you're right," Ichigo couldn't fool Chad at all.

Chad cocked his head to the side. "The rumors?"

Ichigo pursed his lips. "For the record, I did try to tell you twice."

"Mmm."

"Don't take it so hard. I was never going to hide it, so you would have known soon enough anyway. Hell my dad might have even called you, or some crazy shit like that. It was Kisuke's one condition to our relationship, and I'm going to honor it," Ichigo said.

Chad blinked slowly and turned fully to stare at Ichigo. He looked his best friend up and down fully expecting Ichigo to laugh and tell him that it was a joke and to not cut him out again. Chad knew the look though. Ichigo was dead serious. "You're crazy," was Chad's only response.


	4. Chapter 4

1

Kisuke opened his eyes inside the throne room that was deep within his soul. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. Was it just a tiny bit lighter in here than usual?

He could make out the carved detail on the ornate wooden doors. It was two fox spirits chasing each other around the frame, a detail he had never noticed before in the darkness that usually cloaked his inner world. Kisuke filed it way for later consideration and turned to the more pressing reason that he was here, Benihime. He frowned. She was not curled up in her usual position on the throne, around a book subtlety observing him while pretending to read. This was odd. Usually he appeared in whatever room she was inhabiting at the moment. Kisuke harbored the unsettling suspicion that most of his inner world did not exist unless Benihime was utilizing it.

Reverting to old visualization tricks that he had learned in order to tame his zanpakutou Kisuke imagined the door to the library. He hoped that Benihime would recognize his need and meet him there.

The door, sliding shoji this time, appeared in front of him much like the Senkaimon that opened the way between worlds fro the Shinigami. The doors slid open and Kisuke stepped through into the brightest, most cheerful room in his inner world, and best of all, it was full of knowledge, Kisuke's knowledge. It gave him a thrill to actually see a "physical" representation of all the information he had collected over the length of his life, things he knew and things he had forgotten, things he had observed and not consciously noted, and things he had pursued doggedly until he had known everything about the subject; all ready for his perusal.

With a smile on his face that he could never hide while here, Kisuke searched the large room for Benihime. He could search the shelves themselves for the information he wanted, but it was always faster and more fun to bug Benihime into doing it for him.

So where was she? Kisuke turned on his heal to take in the whole of the room once more, but was unable to spot her. Even the plush chairs and table were empty. A line creased his brow. Usually she was right here if she wasn't in the throne room.

"Hime-chan?" He called down one of the isles of books. There was no answer. "Now she wants to play a game of Hide and Seek?" He mumbled to himself frustrated. "Hime- Chan? Come out or I'll mix up the books."

Nothing.

It was an empty threat anyway. Kisuke did not like the feeling of disorientation that he got when he misplaced his books. But he was really starting to get annoyed. After he had mastered his Bankai more than a century ago he and Benihime had agreed that it was for the best if they worked together instead of against each other. It was so unlike her to just ignore him.

"Hime-chan!" He called again. He tilted his head to the side and pulled out his paper fan. The fan tapped lightly on Kisuke's chin as he waited for an answer. None was forthcoming. He expelled an explosive breath and pulled his white and green striped hat over his eyes. He concentrated on Benihime herself.

Kisuke hated set backs. If he even knew where to start looking for information about his relationship with Ichigo he would be there and not here. But Seireitei knowledge was sparse on sudden unexplained attractions between two seemingly incompatible people. Most of the information came in the form of trashy romance novels and the rest were so unscientific in their assertions of soulmates that it made his lip curl thinking about it. Everything he had found pointed to the answer he was looking for literally being "because." There was no way Urahara Kisuke was going to accept that.

Another door appeared as he concentrated on his zanpakutou spirit. The way his inner world worked the door should lead directly to Benihime and not just to a familiar place.

Kisuke opened his eyes to see a thin pane of glass in front of him revealing a clear blue sky.

"What the hell..." The words slipped unconsciously out of his mouth as he reached forward to touch the glass. It was solid and slick under his finger tips. Beyond the pane cutting horizontally across the sky was what looked like a skyscraper. Sunlight reflected off the glass of the skyscraper. Bemused he pushed on the glass until one side of it tilted as if to open like a normal door. Grinning at his discovery of a new place within his inner world he stepped confidently through the door. Kisuke had never been afraid in the face of discovery.

As he passed the threshold his stomach lurched and the world flipped sideways. Kisuke found himself suddenly on his hands and knees clutching at a darkened glass pane with no idea how he had gotten in that position. __Always remember to look both up and down before walking though a strange doorway, __he reminded himself. This was not cool, not cool at all. Kisuke was just glad that no one was here to see him. Swallowing heavily he stood cautiously. It seemed that the ground was content to stay in one place this time. The first thing he saw was the bright blue sky that had never existed within his soul. He turned around to see the glass pane that he had stepped through at his feet. He could even see the library on the other side and flipped sideways.

Kisuke pushed back his hat and scratched his head. This was weird even for him. He knelt by the pane and cautiously stuck his hand through the pane and touched carpet. He pulled his hand back and studied his palm. It didn't seem harmful just tilted at a ninety degree angle.

"Interesting," Kisuke said aloud. He mentally stepped back from the puzzle the glass door presented. He was more than tempted to abandon his original quest and spend the rest of the day studying the doorway. He had come here by willing his inner world to show him where Benihime was. He should find her first. Urahara gave the door a longing look and then resolutely turned on his heel away from the door.

A strong wind tugged at his haori and Kisuke pulled it close to him as he looked around at the rest of the new "room" he was in. In front of him was the street. He walked up to it until he was standing nose to painted line with it. His gaze followed the painted lines up to the horizontal skyscraper he had first seen before he had stepped through the pane. He fought a very strong urge to cringe at the sight of so much steel and glass right above him seemingly unsupported except where it stuck out of the street.

But it wasn't just the look of the place that was unnerving. It didn't feel right either. Anywhere Kisuke went in his inner world he always felt at home there. Here it felt almost like he was trespassing.

Very carefully he made his way over to the side of the skyscraper. When he got to the edge he looked down at yet another skyscraper and another and another off into the distance. His gaze roamed for a landmark of some kind so that he could orient his position while he searched, but even though there seemed to be many skyscrapers and side streets the place looked impossibly symmetrical. Kisuke closed his eyes to ward off the headache he could feel coming. It seemed to him that this place was deliberately set up to confuse someone.

Kisuke turned away from the edge and came face to face with-

"Ichigo?"

At least it looked like Ichigo, if you ignored the fact that he was all white from skin to hair to clothing, and the unsettling black and gold eyes that glittered with a hint of insanity.

Kisuke stepped back away from the specter and reached for his zanpakutou. It was a hollow. The reiatsu coming off the Ichigo look alike said that very clearly even if the mask was missing.

"Ya found it," The Hollow said with a wide grin. "Benihime said that ya were smarter than ya looked."

Surprised, Kisuke let go of his zanpakutou and reached for his fan instead. He held it open in front of his face like a shield to hide any expressions while his brain whirled putting together the pieces.

"Zangetsu," He whispered from behind the fan.

The hollow laughed uproariously. "Ya really are smart. Ya're the first one ta get that right on yer own. Not even Ichigo entertained the possibility th' I was anything but an intruder." The hollow- Zangetsu- reached out and slapped Kisuke on the shoulder causing him to stagger. Kisuke caught his balance but did not retaliate as the hollow was obviously being friendly for the moment. There was no need to rock the boat.

"Indeed. But what are you doing in my inner world?" Kisuke asked. He was still not sure what was going on. It was a state he rarely found himself in and one that annoyed him to no end.

Zangetsu raised one of his eyebrows and reevaluated the meaning of smart. Then his nose was millimeters from Kisuke's. "Whadda ya mean__yer__inner world?" He asked forcefully.

Kisuke stepped back again. This hollow liked to get up close and personal when making his point. Then the implications of what Zangetsu said hit him. He looked at his surroundings with new eyes. It did explain everything: the difference in the feel of the atmosphere, the city-like setting, and the brain breaking orientation.

Kisuke took a deep breath and savored his discovery. "This is Ichigo's inner world," he said with awe in his voice.

"Yup," Zangetsu said with a grin. "It's a bit more sparse than yer world; Ichigo dun like clutter, but it's home."

"You have been to my inner world?" Kisuke asked. He was not sure how he felt about that. On the one hand, he was gratified that the bond between Ichigo and him was not as superficial as its spontaneous nature would suggest. On the other, Kisuke had never had such an intimate connection with anyone before, and part of him sincerely wanted to run away screaming.

"O'course," The Hollow said flicking his hand at the open window pane behind Kisuke. "Door's right there."

Kisuke smiled. This zanpakutou was deceptively simple on every level. "So it is."

Silence stretched out between the two of them. Zangetsu shifted his feet unsure of what to say. He didn't like the feeling. "Ya wanna fight?"

"Uhh," Kisuke didn't know what to say. He really couldn't tell if the zanpakutou was offering a spar or a death match. "Maybe next time," He said diplomatically. "I'm actually here looking for Benihime. Do you happen to know where she is?"

Zangetsu jabbed his thumb back over his shoulder. "She said tha' she wanted some alone time with the Quincy and told me ta go elsewhere or suffer lots 'a pain."

Kisuke smiled ruefully. "That's my Hime'chan," He said following the gesture with his eyes up? Across? The building.

"Yeah, she's great," Zangetsu said lovingly.

Realization slapped Kisuke over the head. Zangetsu was in love with Benihime, and she might even return the favor. Kisuke mentally stepped back from that thought. He wasn't ready to deal with the most frightening couple he had ever heard of before. But there was one thing that Zangetsu had said-

"The Quincy?" Kisuke knew about Ichigo's mother, of course. He had been instrumental in bringing her and Isshin together after all.

"Yeah," Zangetsu scratched the back of his head. "It's hard ta explain. Technically he's Zangetsu too, just don't accuse him of that ta his face. So you can call me Hollow if ya want. Tha's what we call each other, Quincy and Hollow."

Kisuke smiled benignly, though that level of denial could not be good for Ichigo over all. "How does his soul keep from destroying itself?" He asked truly curious. Masaki's soul had nearly self-destructed when a hollow was introduced, but this seemed to be Ichigo's normal state of being. Kisuke was torn. There were so many experiments he could run and so few that he would be able to get Ichigo to participate in willingly. Life was never easy.

Kisuke came out of his fantasy to notice that Zangetsu was staring at him, hard. He backed up a couple of steps just in case his thoughts were __too___ t_ransparent.

Then a shadow fell over the two of them and the hollow rolled his eyes exasperated. Kiske looked -up?- at a black clad man balancing on a flag pole with his cape billowing dramatically in the wind.

"Nice entrance," Kisuke said with a disarming smile.

Zangetsu snorted. "He always does that; it gets old fast."

The man nodded once in acknowledgment but did nothing else. Kisuke was starting to feel uncomfortable under the unwavering gaze.

"That's enough of that," Benihime appeared next to the flag pole and tapped it with a long red nail. The flag pole vanished, and the Quincy dropped gracefully to the ground as if not surprised at all. "Ki-chan," Benihime said ignoring the glare she received from the Quincy. She darted over and gave Kisuke an affectionate hug. She pulled back and smile impishly. "Any recent developments of interest?"

"It is your doing isn't it?" Kisuke mumbled.

"Actually it is mostly Zangetsu's doing," Benihime said gesturing at the Hollow and moved her hand just enough to vaguely include the Quincy. "Zangetsu is the one who asked for a bonding."

__Oh boy___, _Kisuke thought. Both Benihime and the Hollow considered the Quincy a part of Ichigo's zanpakutou, but the sullen Quincy, still observing the three of them like a vulture, was obviously having none of it.__Wait____what?___ "_Bonding?"

"Soul Bonding," Benihime informed him.

"Soul-"

Kisuke glanced at the Hollow that had stepped up behind him- an unsettling thought in and of itself. The Hollow Zangetsu was busy staring the other Quincy Zangetsu down. Something indefinable passed between the two, and the Quincy bowed his head slightly- more of a nod- to Kisuke.

"Thank you for stopping the rain," The Quincy said gravely and was gone.

Kisuke pulled his hat down low to shade his thoughts. He was not sure how to take that comment. Rain? What did rain have to do with anything?

He looked toward the top? -portion of the high rise where sparse clouds were moving up? Left to right? Kisuke rubbed his eyes in frustration and changed tactics. "Normally that direction would correspond to up toward the sun, so I'll call that direction red..." He continued to mumble to himself on how to make this world make sense to him.

Hollow Zangetsu put his arm around Benihime's waist. "Just give him a minute," She whispered into his ear. "It has been bothering him. Once he works out the physics of this world he will move on to more important things." She kissed the Hollow behind the ear.

Zangetsu scratched his head with his other hand furiously. "Getaboshi's fine. It's the Quincy tha's pissin' me off. 'Thanks for stopping the rain,' he says," He shook his head back and forth growling. "Did ya at least get'em ta open up a bit?"

She shook her head slightly. "That one is... difficult," Benihime smiled at her wielder. "Just like someone else I know," She said fondly. When Kisuke didn't give any indication that he had heard her she poked him on the shoulder.

"Hmm?" was the response.

"It's time for you to go back, or you will be late for your special date," She grabbed Kisuke's hat when he didn't immediately acknowledge the importance of her statement. He snatched it back pouting and placed it back on his head. "None of that," Benihime said. "Don't you ruin this for us."

Kisuke sighed in defeat. He would just have to come back later to study this phenomenon. "It rains when Ichigo is sad doesn't it?"

Hollow Zangetsu jerked at the sudden non sequitur. "Wow, he is quick," He said impressed. "Not many would be able ta make that connection with only the Quincy's one liner ta go on... How does his brain work?" He asked Benihime.

Benihime giggled.

"And he is not taking the loss of his powers as well as everyone thinks he is," Kisuke continued ignoring the other two's antics.

Zangetsu turned his face away toward the gray clouds rushing across the sky. It wasn't a true depression anymore by a long shot, but there was still the smell of rain in the air.

"You make things better."

2

Yoruichi was having a good time. Not that she thought that she would be having a bad time when Kisuke asked her to tag along on his and Ichigo's date as a chaperon because he didn't trust himself not to break his promise, and Isshin had threatened to kill him the night before if Kisuke did anything to his precious son. She had merely assumed that that some light teasing would be a more prominent part of her having a good time. Though she supposed that that was the reason Kisuke was keeping a full bowl of her favorite sake under her nose. She spread her body out more to catch as much sunlight across her back as she could. A slight lift of her head and she could lap at the bitter sweet sake.

A purr slipped out as she kneaded the thick picnic mat with her paws and twitched her tail lightly back and forth. A glance at her charges revealed that they were sitting a lot closer together than they had been when the picnic had started.

It was a brilliant move on Kisuke's part; a picnic. He had chosen a place that was still technically public, but out of the way enough that there were no passer-by on the nearby path. Even Yoruichi herself was in her cat form to give the illusion of total privacy.

The food was simple, homemade fare. Tessai had put together some Takoyaki, dumplings and a fresh fruit salad with barely tea and dango for dessert. It was the perfect balance of a special meal and a light lunch, and Kisuke did not have to subject himself to modern day food or Western food- both of which he hated- as he might have had to if he and Ichigo had gone to a restaurant. Her summation was that her friend was indeed falling hard for the teenager.

Yoruichi lazily lapped more of her sake and watched Ichigo crawl into Kisuke's lap and straddle him with interest. As the two shared a heated kiss she wondered when exactly it would be a good idea to assert her power as the chaperon and pull the two apart. She knew that her tutor would have already been yelling about virtue and dragging Kisuke and Ichigo apart at this point, but Yoruichi wasn't a prude.

Ichigo and started to grind his hips against Kisuke's. Both her boys were flushed and breathing heavily, and had obviously forgotten that she was even there.

It would also be a good idea to let Kisuke work off some tension, he deserved a break.

Kisuke's hand traveled up under Ichigo's shirt and stroked a nipple. Ichigo gasped in response.

Yoruichi watched intently and wondered why she had not thought to ask Kisuke when he thought it would be a good idea to stop them. She would stop them at the point where Isshin would call the cops, but they had passed that point when they shared chopsticks to eat the fruit.

Besides, Yoruichi liked where this was going. Ichigo was wriggling around on Kisuke's lap causing both of them to moan and gasp with pleasure. She did have a good view after all and really did enjoy occasionally watching Kisuke with his lovers. It was a hobby that was so much easier when those lovers didn't know that she was a woman in cat form. Ichigo was so shy and reserved, she thought that she would never get to see anything as good as this.

Kisuke flipped over and pinned Ichigo underneath him with his shirt pushed up under his armpits. Kisuke was busy kissing and licking his way down Ichigo's chest, while Ichigo clutched at his back under his clothes hard enough to leave marks with his nails. Kisuke was enjoying himself so much that he didn't pause when his hat fell off.

Yoruichi bet that if she were to make a noise right now to remind the pair that she was here Ichigo would scramble out from under Kisuke and run for the bushes; such fun. Yup, this was the perfect time to call a halt to the festivities.

"MeeeeeeeeeeeOOOOOOOOWWWWW!"

The reaction was immediate. Ichigo's face went from delectably flushed to fuchsia with embarrassment, and his body stiffened up like a board. The hand that was supporting Kisuke above Ichigo slipped, and he barely caught himself from falling forward and colliding Ichigo's chin.

__Damn I have to buy myself a drink, and I"m a cheapskate, __Yoruichi thought. On the outside she lapped calmly at her sake like she hadn't done anything at all. Though Kisuke's gaze was heated enough to make her sweat under her fur. She ignored her friend while his brain kicked on and told him that she was doing exactly as he had asked her to do.

A few seconds later Kisuke shook his head and picked up his hat. He smashed it down on his head to cover his pink ears. "Sorry. I got carried away there," He apologized to Ichigo. He shifted himself off the younger man into a cross-legged position and took a deep, calming breath.

When Kisuke's weight was gone Ichigo scrambled up to his knees and pulled his shirt back down. "I'm pretty sure that was my fault," He mumbled still blushing hard. He had completely forgotten that Yoruichi was even there. If she hadn't yowled he might have- Well he didn't know exactly how far they would have gotten. He was pretty sure he wouldn't have lasted much longer anyway.

Ichigo sneaked a glance at Kisuke, who seemed to be mediating for some reason, and noticed that he was having much the same problem. He licked his lips.

A deep hissy laugh banished the rest of his lust, and he glared at Yoruichi, who grinned at him smugly like only cats can.

Ichigo dropped his eyes and clenched his fists. He was more angry at himself than at her for letting his hormones get control of him. That just didn't happen. If she hadn't been here he would have lost his virginity in a public park, not a place he had ever dreamed he would have sex for the first time, but fuck, at this point he would take it.

A hand on his shoulder pulled Ichigo from his thoughts and Ichigo looked up into Kisuke's grey eyes. Kisuke smiled and kissed him on the cheek. He pulled Ichigo against him and let the younger man settle himself more comfortably in his arms.

Yoruichi purred happily and went back to her sake. She was trying real hard to fade back into the background and let the two continue with their date. Ichigo seemed content to snuggle in Kisuke's arms already calmed by the older man's touch.

Interesting.

And Kisuke-

Yoruichi's ears flicked forward on high alert. Kisuke had that look on his face that said he was considering very carefully how much information to give. He stroked Ichigo's hair but addressed her, "Yoruichi-san, If Ichigo and I could have a moment."

Yoruichi snorted, "And leave the two of you alone after that little display?"

Kisuke smiled. "You could have stopped us sooner."

Yoruichi shrugged in response.

"You can still see us from the path," Kisuke said nodding at the sidewalk and lone park bench set out for people to stop and admire the scenery, through the trees. "I promise not to do anything you would want to watch."

The squeak that Ichigo made would have been more entertaining if Kisuke wasn't about to cut her off from some obviously juicy information. The thought of not being able to listen in made her teeth itch.

"Please Yoruichi-san, this is personal," Kisuke said. Some raw emotion slipped into his carefully controlled voice and made Yoruichi mew softly and turn to start her trek to the park bench.

After a few steps she remembered something and turned back, but Kisuke had already erected a barrier that blocked sound as well as prevented her from re-entering the area of the picnic mat. The two within were oblivious to her distress. Bastard must have had that kidou ready before he addressed her. She nudged a couple of times at the barrier with her nose before sitting down heavily on the grass, defeated.

"But my sake!" Yoruichi wailed at the barrier.

3

Kisuke whispered what Ichigo recognized vaguely as the name of a bakudo. Ichigo pulled away as the barrier went up. He couldn't see or feel the barrier that was keeping Yoruichi off the mat, but the light breeze that had been teasing his hair and caressing his skin had ceased. He swallowed. He was now really alone with Kisuke and the man wanted to talk.

Ichigo curled in on himself. In retrospect his spontaneous move to crawl into Kisuke's lap and rubbing up against him might have not been the greatest of ideas. He was both embarrassed and felt very awkward because of his actions. And he was still aroused damn it. Why had he promised his dad that he wouldn't have sex with his boyfriend?

"You don't trust me," Kisuke said solemnly. He could read Ichigo's reaction to the barrier very clearly.

Ichigo's head jerked up. "No no no," He said in a breathless rush. Somehow just denying Kisuke's words wasn't enough. He crawled closer to the other man and grabbed his hand begging him silently to understand. "The one I don't really trust is myself." Ichigo stopped, thinking hard. How did you tell someone that you wanted to screw their brains out without sounding like a pervert?

Kisuke huffed a short laugh and Ichigo blushed again. "I'm the one who is supposed to be saying that," He said mildly. Then Kisuke sighed and rubbed his eyes. It took him so long to say anything else that Ichigo had already imagined five different break up scenarios before he continued. "Do you remember when I told you that I wanted to find out the reason behind our sudden attraction to each other?"

Ichigo nodded waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I have- Honestly, I have stumbled on the reason," Kisuke nudged at an empty plate with his toe to take the time to organize his thoughts. "I'm sorry, I may have trespassed where I might not be wanted."

Now Ichigo was really lost. It didn't sound like Kisuke wanted to break up. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked annoyed.

Kisuke pulled his hat lower over his eyes so that he wouldn't have to see the loss of trust in the young man's eyes. He cleared his throat and tried again. "I tried to consult with my zanpakutou on the matter. She has- special abilities when it comes to understanding things. But what I found..." He trailed off suddenly not sure that Benihime was not messing with him; it happened. "Ichigo, what does your inner world look like?"

Ichigo scratched his head trying to put what Kisuke was telling him into an order that made sense. Wasn't one's inner world supposed to be personal? But this was Kisuke. And didn't that make Chad's assertion that he was insane seem more true than ever. He shrugged, "It's just a bunch of tall buildings, but sideways, you know." He made a horizontal gesture with his hand. "It's kinda hard to explain in words."

"It's kind of hard to experience as well," Kisuke said dryly remembering not too fondly his most embarrassing moment this decade. After being shooed back toward the window/door to his own inner world by Benihime, Kisuke had been presented with the problem of getting back to his own right-side up inner world. He had ended up crawling from glass window _down_a wood floor that was suddenly actual__floor __about half way through the glass window/wooden door, while Zangetsu howled with laughter the whole time; the prick. It had not been one of Kisuke's cooler moments. He had not been sure if his stomach had jumped toward his head or his toes for a split second, and had curled up on the floor of his library for a full minute before kicking the door shut on the Hollow's laughter as soon as he could tell where his feet were.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"I-I ended up in your inner world through a door that I had never seen before in my own inner world. It is exactly as you describe it: the buildings, the insane orientation." Kisuke didn't know what else to say, a rare experience for him. The last thing he wanted to to was say something that would push Ichigo away from him.

Ichigo opened and closed his mouth. His inner world was still there. The thought elated him; there was a chance he would, in time, be a Shinigami again. But... "Oh Kami, are you alright?"

Kisuke's head jerked up, and the next thing he knew Ichigo's hands were all over him. But this time Ichigo was patting him down as if looking for possible injury. Shouldn't Ichigo be mad at him? "Ichigo, I think you would have found any wounds I might have by now." He grabbed Ichigo's hands and stroked the young man's wrists to try to calm him down.

"That crazy bastard didn't hurt you?" Ichigo asked uncertainly.

"I assume you mean Zangetsu?" Kisuke said shaking his head negatively. "Only my pride."

Ichigo sat back shaking his head. "No I mean the Hollow."

Kisuke pulled up short and reassessed Ichigo's knowledge of his powers. "Ichigo? Who is Zangetsu?"

"The old man in black, didn't you see him?" Ichigo answered promptly confirming Kisuke's worst fears.

"I- yes I did. He is a Quincy." Kisuke had always assumed that Ichigo had mastered his powers before confronting Aizen the last time. Isshin said they had been in Dangai for three months. It had seemed like a short time to master one's bankai fully, but Ichigo had seemed to pull out all the stops and exhibit some truly godlike powers of his own while fighting the self proclaimed deity.

This had gotten very murky very fast. How much could Kisuke tell Ichigo without hurting him. Ichigo thought that the Quincy was Zangetsu- so did the Hollow for that matter. The Quincy sneered at the very thought of being a zanpakutou but was willing to "play" at being one for Ichigo. And it was just as obvious that the Hollow who had introduced himself to Kisuke as Zangetsu had not done the same for Ichigo. The horizontal inner world thing was starting to make a frightening amount of sense. Ichigo's whole view of himself was badly skewed. But to not know the origins of his own mother after all that had happened...

__Isshin you ass___, _Kisuke thought vehemently. The man had let Ichigo take on one of the biggest threats the Soul Society had ever known, a near godlike being, without knowing the true extent of his own powers? He had always assumed that Isshin had told his son everything when he took Ichigo off to learn the Final Getsuga Tenshou. The imbalance caused by not knowing about half of his power and not fully accepting the rest... Did Ichigo even have to loose his powers at all?

Kisuke consciously relaxed his jaw. Getting mad over what had already happened wouldn't help now. He pulled Ichigo into his arms. "Isshin should have told you. Your mother was a Quincy."

Ichigo went very still. "But why- if she- but she died!" He screamed next to Kisuke's ear and started sobbing.

Kisuke winced and tried ineffectively to soothe Ichigo. Kisuke had never been all that great at the emotional parts of a relationship. He had no idea what to do besides a vague notion that he should hold on to Ichigo. After a few tense, heart wrenching minutes for him, Ichigo's sobs subsided naturally and the young man went limp in his arms.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo sniffed.

Kisuke shook his head not knowing what to say. He hugged Ichigo closer and kissed his forehead. This young man kept putting him in the most uncomfortable of positions. Kisuke stroked Ichigo's back.

"Why did she die?" Ichigo asked quietly. He clutched at Kisuke's haori desperately his tear filled eyes searching Kisuke's for answers.

Kisuke took a deep breath. This was going to be hard.

. "At the moment when she was protecting you from that hollow, her Quincy abilities, like many other's, failed her," He said hoping that it was enough.

Ichigo pulled away from Kisuke and flopped down on his back. He covered his eyes with his arm, but Kisuke could still see the tear tracks running down his cheeks. "Thank you," Ichigo said after an awkward silence.

"What for?" Kisuke asked.

"For telling me the truth," Ichigo said. "But can I know one thing?"

Kisuke was very apprehensive about that "one thing." After all there were still many details Ichigo did not know about his mother's death. Like the image of the man who had killed her appearing in his inner world, but he gave the only answer that he could. "Of course," he said softly.

"How did our inner worlds get connected?" Ichigo asked.

Kisuke blinked at the sudden change in subject then sighed in relief. It wasn't that he was avoiding telling Ichigo the circumstances around his mother's death' He just didn't want to do it right now. And Ichigo wasn't ready for the whole truth yet... and Isshin was going to be the one to tell him. Kisuke snorted softly. He was going to have to have a talk with that man.

Deciding to lighten the mood he began with, " Well, evidently, when one zanpakutou loves another very much-" he started off in a sing-song voice.

"You're shittin' me," Ichigo said incredulously.

"No, I am quite serious," Kisuke said with a smile.

Ichigo peered at him from under his arm trying to divine whether Kisuke was pulling one of his pranks or not. "So Old Man Zangetsu has the hots for a princess?"

Kisuke wanted to bang his head on something. There was that murky pit that was Ichigo's relationship with his zanpakutou, and Kisuke's zanpakutou again. "He's certainly warming up to her," Kisuke said. His fingers twitched and he suddenly missed his fan. "Your hollow is head over heels for her though."

Ichigo stared up at the sky in wonder, or was it disbelief. "So... are we talking about a threesome?"

Kisuke rubbed his eyes to dispel visions of what that would look like. He was thoroughly finished with and emotionally exhausted by this conversation. "I imagine it's something like that," He said.

Ichigo screwed up his face. "That's actually weirder than the two of us." He rolled onto his belly and pillowed his head on his arms.

"Yeah it is," Kisuke said dropping the barrier around the picnic mat.

Ichigo felt the cool breeze on his skin and sighed. It was finally over. What the hell had possessed him to cry like that. He hadn't cried that hard since that day. He rubbed his eyes and felt Kisuke lay down next to him. Ichigo cuddled into his side and drifted off to sleep. It was strange sleeping in a park, but he was so tired. Kisuke didn't look much better. A short nap wouldn't hurt...

As Ichigo dozed off next to him Kisuke tried in vain to put his thoughts and emotions in order. It took a while but eventually he gave up and relaxed into Ichigo's body. Kisuke was as emotionally wrecked as Ichigo seemed to be. As he finally started to drift off a fuzzy black face appeared over his.

"Is he going to be okay?" Yoruichi asked softly.

"I hope so," Kisuke murmured.

"What did you say to him to get a reaction like that?" Yoruichi asked curiously.

"I can't tell you that yet," Kisuke said surprising her. Kisuke wasn't known for keeping things from her... recently. "Look, I just can't tell you. I need- I need time to think..."

Yoruichi twitched her tail agitated by her friend's words. "It looks more like you need a nap."

"No, just an information overload. Need to-" Kisuke yawned widely and his head dropped like a stone.

"You need a nap," Yoruichi said with an air of satisfaction. She padded back to her sake dish and sat down heavily. She had not heard one word that had passed between the two, but she had seen quite a bit. She had never seen Kisuke express so many emotions all at once and not even be aware of them. Even though he looked like he had a better handle on the situation than Ichigo did, Yoruichi could tell that her friend was truly lost in unfamiliar territory. Along with the shock, worry and down right terror she had seen on Kisuke's face there had also been a tenderness and caring that literally no one else had ever seen from her reclusive friend. And, amazingly, Ichigo was opening up as well. As strange as the whole situation was she approved of this relationship. Given enough time both of her boys might even heal.


	5. Chapter 5

1

The Quincy looked out over the vista of horizontal skyscrapers. It was almost meditative in its starkness. The sun glistened off the glass of the skyscrapers. There were very few clouds today. As turbulent as the last few days had been for Ichigo the results could not be denied. Ichigo was much happier now than he had been even before loosing his Shinigami powers. It was probably the happiest he had been since his mother died. It brought the Quincy peace, but he couldn't help feeling a wave of jealousy that the Hollow had been the one to bring Ichigo that happiness.

_Pffft. _

The Quincy knew that Ichigo was opening himself up for the first time since his mother's death. He could feel it in the breeze. The texture of the air had changed. It was warmer, more inviting and less stark than it had been before. The sun gave off heat now as well as light.

_Sniff. Pfft. _

If the Quincy was being absolutely truthful with himself, he was happier as well. The Hollow was easier to live with since the menace had someone else to distract him from the monotonous landscape. The thought made the Quincy smile a little. The Princess and the Hollow were obviously good for each other and could entertain each other for hours on end.

_Sniff. Snort. _

But it did beg the question of how he, the Quincy, fit in this new dynamic. He was not a zanpakutou as the other two had hinted at on more than one occasion. It seemed almost as if Benihime wanted him to be a part of the strange relationship that was sprouting between her and the Hollow, and scarily enough the Hollow seemed to want the same. He and the Hollow had been at odds for so long that he did not completely trust the Hollow's intent, and Urahara was so shady that it would be fatally stupid to think that his zanpakutou wasn't as well.

_Sniff._

In the end, no matter what the other two thought, he wasn't, or more properly shouldn't, be a part of the soul bonding. He wasn't even really a part of Ichigo. The Quincy was part of the Master, Yhwach, who had bestowed a portion of his own power on Ichigo until it would be needed. It was a fool proof plan. How else do you completely crush your enemy but to tear the power from their savior and crush them with it.

The Quincy sighed. He was beginning to question the plan. He had found deep within himself an unwillingness to hurt Ichigo. He felt more compelled to protect Ichigo and help him to end the reign of Yhwach. It would fit Benihime's theory that he was actually a part of Ichigo whether he or Yhwach himself wanted to admit it.

"Ahchoo!"

"You had better not have gotten any of that in my hair," Benihime said tightening her arms around the Quincy's waist to prevent herself from letting go and running her fingers through her hair to check. She had been trying nonstop to hint to the Quincy that she wanted physical affection from him as well as from the Hollow, but he was having none of it. So she had decided to give him a hug, and wait for him to return it. She sighed dramatically. Three hours and she was still waiting.

The Quincy looked down at the mass of red hair that kept drifting across his nose in the light breeze. He grimaced as another strand tickled his nose. "If you would let me go it wouldn't happen at all," He pointed out reasonably.

Benihime shifted to look up at him with a twinkle in her eyes. "Not until you give me my hug," She said stubbornly. She tightened her arms once more as if to show him how it was done.

The Quincy sighed internally. From the outside it was as if he had not reacted at all.

Benihime had not liked that the Quincy had started to separate himself more and more from her and the Hollow. She had taken it upon herself to bring him back into their little group. The Quincy may not know it, and the Hollow would die before admitting it, but Hollow Zangetsu was showing signs of depression the more the Quincy disappeared.

She pulled herself closer to the Quincy seeing as she could not get him to willingly come any closer to her. She rested her head on his shoulder and settled in to wait him out. The Quincy stood with his arms at his sides not responding to her at all.

"Isn't this a bit childish?" He asked finally, his patience cracking as another strand of red air caught by the wind danced across his nose.

"You don't respond well to reason," Benihime responded snuggling closer. The breeze still felt chilly to her even though both the Hollow and the Quincy had assured her that it was a lot warmer than it had been.

"The Hollow yelling at me to get over myself before he kills me is not reasonable," The Quincy pointed out logically. "Neither is you literally holding me hostage for physical affection."

Benihime pouted at him, "But you don't want to be logical either. Anytime either of us brings up the fact that you belong to us and not that over powered Quincy with delusions of god-hood you disappear with out a trace."

"Hmm," The Quincy replied noncommittally. He managed to pry Benihime off of him and push her away. "I need to think." With that he disappeared.

Benihime scowled at the spot where the Quincy had stood. Maybe childish cuteness wasn't the way to go about getting the stoic man to change his mind.

A window pane lifted at her side and the Hollow's head popped up. "Not going as you had expected?" He asked being serious for once.

"Not at all," Benihime said turning to face the Hollow. "I know he likes me. Hell, he even likes you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" The Hollow growled.

"You're a hollow; he's a Quincy. Do you need a diagram?" Benihime snapped back crossing her arms. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head to clear it. "Sorry, that was unfair."

"Eh? You lost me," The hollow said scratching his head. "But anyway I coulda told ya that he was an unreasonable, stubborn ass."

"Don't worry about it. I'll get him," Benihime said. She tilted her head. "What's in there?" She asked eyes lighting up in curiosity.

The Hollow paused his gold eyes flashing threateningly. "It's a lot of stuff," He said cautiously.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Stuff Ichigo doesn't want to admit," The Hollow finally answered. "And a lot more he doesn't understand yet."

Benihime smiled slightly. She understood. Kisuke had those same places in his own inner world. They were usually a lot of fun. "This place is so unorganized. What if something from in there comes out at the wrong time?"

The hollow snorted. "That's why I'm here. And not everything has to be alphabetized," The Hollow said referring to Kisuke's own inner world. Where everything was indeed alphabetized.

Benihime stuck her tongue out at him. "Can I see?" She asked peering into the darkness.

The Hollow scratched his head again as if thinking about it. "Call your blade. It's wild down here." He held out his hand for her to take.

Benihime drew her blade and took his hand. As she stepped down into the hole she said, "Good I need to work off some of my frustrations. Damn that Quincy."

The Hollow cackled, "Don't worry about the wet blanket. As you said, he likes you. It's only a matter of time." They both disappeared into darkness.

2

Ichigo saw Orihime before she saw him. He was walking to school as usual with his satchel slung carelessly over his shoulder. He had a split second urge to turn around and run before she caught sight of him and waved him over.

_Please don't cry. Please don't cry. Anything but crying. _He chanted in his head as he came within speaking distance. "Yo," He gave his usual greeting. Hopefully it would reassure her that he wasn't mad at her.

"Ah Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said shyly clutching her own satchel in front of her with both hands. She stared down at her feet for a second before snapping forward in a bow that had Ichigo backing up a step so he wouldn't get hit by her head. "I'm so sorry," She wailed causing him to back up two more steps.

Ichigo looked around sheepishly to see if anyone was staring at them. The last thing he needed was rumors about him and Orihime. Thankfully they were out pretty early, and no one was about yet. "It's fine. I'm not mad." He said hurriedly.

"I didn't realize that we were alienating you," Orihime went on oblivious to Ichigo's unease. She was still staring at her feet. "I just thought that you would want things to go back to normal after..." She stopped her frantic apology.

Ichigo knocked his knuckles on Orihime's head. It stung, but it was worth it to finally get her attention on him and not on her feet. She looked up at him with wide eyes. "I'm fine. And I accept your apology. It was just a misunderstanding. We're fine," He said slowly.

Orihime smiled weakly, "You've got that funny look on your face again."

Ichigo's tough guy frown turned into a look of confusion and Orihime burst out laughing. "Your funny faces always make me laugh," She said standing up strait and brushing her hair over her shoulder.

Ichigo shrugged at her and gave up trying to understand what she was saying. They started walking to school once more.

After a short time Ichigo noticed that Orihime was sneaking looks at him while arguing with herself in what she thought was a quiet voice. He heard every word.

"We can talk about it if you want," He said glancing at her.

Orihime blushed profusely. "T-talk about what?" She asked.

"About me being gay," Ichigo said. "You were mumbling about it a second ago.

"Oh, you heard that," Orihime played with her satchel. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Ichigo almost rolled his eyes. If he didn't want to talk about it he wouldn't have said anything. But then he thought about it while they waited at the crosswalk for the light to change. "I guess. I haven't really had anyone to talk about it with before."

"Before?" Orihime asked. "I was thinking that it might just be a phase. You know how some guys experiment before they find the right girl?"

Ichigo sighed at the hopeful lit he heard in her voice. "I've pretty much always liked guys." His eyes got far away looking into the distant past. "Though I did have a crush on Tatsuki for a bit. Don't tell her, but I thought she was a boy at first. Probably because she kept wiping the floor with everyone else in our karate class."

Orihime's pout turned into a sad smile then a small laugh.

"Do you care?" Ichigo asked as they walked into the school and traded out their shoes for their indoor slippers.

"Care?"

"That I'm gay?" Ichigo clarified.

"Well, I do like Ichigo-kun," She said sadly.

Ichigo stumbled while trying to put on his slipper and almost landed on his ass. "Oh... I didn't realize," He said once he had caught his balance. He hadn't expected her to be so strait forward about it.

Orihime waved her hand at him without looking up from trying to put on her slippers, dismissing his apology. "No, no, it's fine. I never would have gathered up the courage to tell you anyway." She put her shoes in her locker, and took a deep breath. "But, for a moment at least, I did hope that this was something that you would get over."

"It's not a phase," Ichigo grumbled. Orihime was really hanging onto that one. "I've just never had a reason to tell anyone before," Ichigo said not wanting to admit that he had always just been to scared to come out.

"Why now, then?" Orihime asked curiously.

"Because it matters now," Ichigo answered. Orihime stared at him blankly. "I have a boyfriend now."

Orihime gasped. "Is he cute? Do I know him?" 

Ichigo slowly put his shoes away. Weren't they just having a serious conversation? "I think so. It's Kisuke." Ichigo said using Urahara's first name. It still made him smile to have permission to use Kisuke's name and actually want to.

"Kisuke? That boy in our class?" Orihime asked confused. Ichigo had never even exchanged a good morning with Yamada Kisuke as far as she knew.

"Huh?" Ichigo asked even more confused than Orihime. There was a Kisuke in their class?

"I thought he liked Chiyuki-Chan. She'll be crushed," Orihime said almost to herself. She really did not know how loudly she talked sometimes.

"I- no," Ichigo said desperately trying to curb yet more rumors about him. "There's a Kisuke in our class?"

Orihime blinked at him owlishly. "It's not Yamada-Kun?"

"No, It's Urahara," Ichigo mumbled embarrassed.

Orihime nodded, "That does make more sense."

"I- what?" Ichigo asked completely lost. Orihime had only known that he was gay for two days max. How did dating Urahara make more sense than dating a classmate? Even if he had no clue who the guy was.

"Tatsuki-Chan, Chizuru-Chan and I have discussed it," Orihime explained with eyes lighting up.

_Oh what fresh hell have I unearthed now? _Ichigo asked himself.

"Chizuru-Chan and I agreed that if you were gay you would prefer older men.

Ichigo opened and closed his mouth a couple of times. "Why?" He finally choked out.

"For fun," Orihime said. "We do the others too. See Sado-Kun looks like he would prefer someone strong like a wrestler or Kenpachi-taichou."

Ichigo turned a little green thinking about that.

"Ishida-Kun would do well in a relationship with you because he needs a wild rule breaker. It's Tatsuki-Chan's favorite pairing. But I always thought you would like a more experienced lover."

Ichigo took a moment to digest that information. "So, this is what girls talk about?"

"Sometimes, when we get bored," Orihime said with a conspiratorial wink.

Ichigo swallowed. "Can we never talk about that?"

Orihime grinned at him and started to skip toward class. She stopped halfway down the hall to look back at him. "You know, it's weird at first. But, Ichigo-Kun, I'm happy for you and Urahara-san. He seemed so lonely when we first met... and so did you."

Ichigo manfully suppressed his tears. He wasn't his father who cried at every little thing. "Thanks Inoue."

3

The rest of Ichigo's day at school went well. Ishida was still avoiding him, but Ichigo didn't mind. It would take Ishida time to admit that he needed to apologize. He was positive that Chad and Orihime were going to talk him into apologizing. When the day ended Ichigo waved jauntily at his friends and turned toward the Shoten.

Once there he found Kisuke sitting at the table. Pieces of old looking scrolls were thrown haphazardly across the table, and Kisuke was bent over a note book scribbling furiously. The man didn't even look up when Ichigo cautiously stepped into the room. He just held up a finger while still scribbling in his notebook.

Intrigued Ichigo crept around to where he could see over Kisuke's shoulder. He snorted when he saw what was on the page. It wasn't encrypted or anything. If Ichigo stared long enough he could recognize what it said, but damn did Kisuke have terrible writing.

He gasped when he finally pieced together a couple of sentences. There was only one "horizontal city" that Ichigo knew, and the words "Hollow Ichigo" almost made his heart stop.

"So you weren't joking when you said that our zanpakutous knew each other," He said thickly.

Kisuke nodded still writing down details of his first adventure in Ichigo's inner world. He had put it off long enough, and he was starting to forget things.

Finally he put down the pen and looked up at Ichigo.

"My dad told me that it was possible that we were soulmates. He wasn't kidding for once."

Kisuke smiled, "You don't mind?" 

Ichigo wrapped his arms around Kisuke's shoulders. "A part of me thinks that I should be mad, but It actually makes me happy."

He kissed Kisuke's neck and nuzzled his beard.

"Interesting," Kisuke said adding to his notes.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "Is this all you have been doing today?" 

"That and trying to find some reference to the phenomenon," Kisuke answered.

"Do you really run a candy store or is it Tessai's store, and he keeps a mad scientist in the basement?" Ichigo said with a smile to show that he was joking.

Kisuke smiled back sheepishly, "Sometimes that seems more true than not. I prefer to think of myself as upper management," He sighed dramatically. " How was your day?"

Ichigo shook his head at the change of subject. "It was good," He said. "Orihime talked to me today. If I didn't know any better I would say it was her idea to keep things from me. She seemed to blame herself anyway." 

Kisuke leveled a look at Ichigo that made the red-head stop short. "You still have much to learn," He said.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"You are right. Orihime was the one to suggest it," Kisuke said slowly.

Ichigo scoffed, "No, she wouldn't."

"If she thought it was for your own good?" Kisuke ruffled the pages of his notebook. "That girl is the very definition of 'kill'em with kindness'."

Ichigo opened and closed his mouth a few times, "You're serious?"

"Very," Kisuke licked his lips. "I don't want to seem overly jealous," He said nervously. There was no telling how Ichigo was going to react to this. "But could you not let her get you alone anywhere?"

Ichigo gaped at him, "You are jealous."

Kisuke groaned, "Please don't take this the wrong way," He begged.

"You have nothing to worry about," Ichigo said confidently. "I made it very clear to her that I don't like girls. She just wants to be friends."

Kisuke groaned again, "Friends she says."

Ichigo laughed and enveloped Kisuke in another hug. This time he slipped his hands into Kisuke's shirt and stroked his sides. "Don't worry," He whispered huskily into Kisuke's ear. "I love _you._"

"I know ," Kisuke said leaning his forehead against Ichigo's. "But I still worry."

"Don't."

"Ichigo, if there is even the smallest part of you that likes women, I have two very good reasons to be worried," Kisuke whined.

It took Ichigo a second to process that sentence then he pulled Kisuke's hat down over his nose.

"You know me better than that," Ichigo said.

Kisuke pulled his hat up and kissed Ichigo passionately. "I trust you," He said licking Ichigo's nose.

Ichigo grimaced and wiped his nose. "The hell?" He yelled.

Kisuke laughed.

"Can I read your notes?" Ichigo asked suddenly nodding at the table.

"I don't know. Can you?" Kisuke asked.

Ichigo almost snapped at him that he could read before realizing that Kisuke was talking about his writing. At least he was aware of how bad it was.

"It will take my awhile," Ichigo admitted.

Kisuke grinned. "If you can wait I'll have a typed copy."

"You would do that for me?"

"I do it anyway," Kisuke said sheepish. "Sometimes I can't go back and read what I have written."

Ichigo laughed at him and ended up pestering him until he did explain his experiences. Kisuke did manage to cover up both his troubles with the door and Ichigo's Quincy heritage. After a couple of hours Tessai came in and told Kisuke that he had closed the store.

"Oh crap. It's that late?" Ichigo said diving for his school bag. "I need to start my homework if I'm going to get it done tonight. I swear these college entrance exams are going to kill me." He pulled out his note books ready to break out a paper mess to rival Kisuke's.

"Ichigo?" Kisuke said solemnly.

Ichigo let the book in his hand slip back into his bag. "What?"

"I think that you should go home early today," Kisuke said not looking at Ichigo. He had a bad feeling about doing this, but over the last two nights a couple of hollows had tried to catch Ichigo on his way home.

"What?" Ichigo asked confused. Kisuke hadn't shown any indication that he didn't want him there. "Why?" 

Kisuke reached out and put his hand on Ichigo's shoulder. He squeezed slightly and hoped it would reassure Ichigo. The boy was fragile in the most unexpected ways. "Remember when I told you about the hollows coming to Karakura more and more?"

"Yeah," Ichigo answered with a warning tone in his voice.

"There are many hollows out every night now. I even spend most nights out killing increasingly powerful hollows. I don't want you out outside when they are most active."

Ichigo wrenched his shoulder from Kisuke's grip. "It's not like I have any reiatsu to interest them anyway," He said bitterly.

"Ichigo, it's not that I don't want you here," Kisuke tried to assure him.

"No it's that I'm a liability now," Ichigo snapped surging to his feet.

"Ichigo," Kisuke searched desperately for something to say. He knew that he had touched on something that had been festering under Ichigo's calm acceptance of his fate for the past two years.

"No, I get it. I'm useless now, and I can't do anything to fix it."

"You aren't useless," Kisuke stood up to try to comfort the boy. Ichigo's reaction was starting to scare him. Ichigo was looking right at him but not seeing him. He was breathing and his shoulders were shaking.

"Yes, I am," Ichigo wiped his eyes. "I still draw them don't I? Even without my reiatsu I still attract hollows."

"It's not that bad, it's only the weak ones," Kisuke whispered as he wrapped Ichigo in his arms. Ichigo's heart was beating rapidly. "I can protect you."

"No," Ichigo moaned. "No, no, no, no."

"Ichigo?"

"No!" Ichigo pushed Kisuke away from him.

"Ichigo?" The conversation had taken a turn, and Kisuke was not sure how to handle it. "I'm sorry if I upset you. I just want you to be safe."

Ichigo shook his head. "I don't want you to protect me," He rasped.

"Why not?" Kisuke asked.

"I don't need protection. You can't- I don't want you to protect me!" Ichigo yelled.

Then he ran. He got to the end block before his head cleared, and he realized how much of an ass he had been. He blinked down at his school bag. He hadn't even been aware that he was still holding it.

His gaze shifted to the shoten.

For a second he almost went back to apologize, but he couldn't make himself. He was too much of a coward. Ichigo started for home.

4

Ichigo walked into the warmth of his own home to his family just sitting down to dinner.

"Hey you're home early," Isshin said jovially. "See, it's dinner's still hot." He held up a bowl of steaming rice for inspection.

Ichigo stared dully at the bowl of rice for a second. "I'm not hungry," He said and plodded up the stairs.

Isshin and the twins exchanged worried glances before Isshin got up and followed his son upstairs. He opened Ichigo's door and flicked on the light. Ichigo had left his school back in the middle of the otherwise clean room and flung himself across his bed. Isshin frowned at the uncharacteristic behavior.

Ichigo buried his head in his pillow. "Go away please."

"Hmmmm, no," Isshin said. "What did he do?"

"He didn't do anything," Ichigo mumbled into his pillow.

"Are we sure?" Isshin prodded raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo groaned. "Yes!" He yelled into the pillow and gave it a punch for good measure. "It's all my fault anyway."

Isshin sat down on the edge of the bed. "You wanna talk about it?"

Ichigo just lifted his head to glare at his dad with bloodshot eyes.

Isshin quickly changed tactics. "You know these little fights happen in every relationship and don't mean anything in the long run," He said carelessly.

Ichigo tensed up and Isshin nodded to himself. Bingo.

"My first fight with your mother happened thirty-four hours and fifteen minutes into our relationship," Isshin said conversationally.

Ichigo stared at him incredulously. There was no way in hell his dad knew the exact time of his first fight with mom.

"For some odd reason your mother thought that I should know better than to ask a high school girl to marry me," Isshin went on. His eyes looked into the past and a stupid smile spread across his face. He shook himself out of him memories. "My point is that you will work this out."

"I don't think so," Ichigo whispered. "It was a stupid reason to get mad. Kisuke probably thinks that I'm crazy now."

"Well if Urahara can't deal with crazy... fuck, he should know better. You are related to me," Isshin said pointing at himself.

Ichigo tensed. He had hardly ever heard his dad curse and never casually.

"Anyway, whatever it was, you aren't even mad about it anymore," Isshin waggled his eyebrows questioningly.

Ichigo nodded in agreement still intrigued by this new relationship savvy Isshin.

"I'm pretty sure that Urahara isn't mad either," Isshin assured his son patting him on the back. "You need to learn not to take anything said in the heat of the moment seriously, especially anything you say yourself. You were reacting not thinking."

Ichigo nodded. He had been reacting, reacting badly.

"Do you want any dinner?" Isshin asked softly.

Ichigo shook his head.

"Alright then," Isshin stood to leave the room and stretched with a long groan. "Man, I'm old," He grinned at Ichigo. "Just remember what I said. And never be too proud to say your sorry."

Ichigo lay on his bed staring into the darkness for a very long time. He couldn't make himself do anything. At one point he remembered that he had homework to do but didn't move. After awhile he even started to wonder where Kon was. The mod soul was usually good at breaking Ichigo out of a mood if only to yell at him. All he did was roll onto his side so that he could curl into the fetal position until he was startled out of a light doze by a gentle tapping on his window.

He frowned and rolled over onto his other side facing away from his window. He didn't care if Kon had somehow locked himself out of the house and needed to get back in, again. There was another more forceful tap against the window. Ichigo pulled his pillow over his head intending to ignore the noise for as long as it took. Spending the night outside wouldn't kill a stuffed lion.

"Some unknown person knocks on your window at night, and you don't even flinch," Kisuke's muffled voice penetrated Ichigo's haze of self hatred. He flung himself at the window and pawed at the suddenly too complicated latch before he flung the window open.

Kisuke was perched precariously on the window ledge and as soon as the window was open he slipped silently into Ichigo's room and gracefully knelt on the foot of the bed. He opened and closed his hand a few times to work out the stiffness from having to clutch the window frame in order to keep his perch. "It seems about time I did some basic maintenance on this gigai," He mumbled to himself as he looked up at Ichigo from under the brim of his hat.

Ichigo was staring at his knees and refused to look back at him.

Kisuke sighed and shifted into a crossed-legged position. It was really time for a tune-up, even his knees were popping .He put his finer under Ichigo's chin and lifted his head.

Ichigo's eyes were shining with tears in the muted light of the street lamp. "I'm sorry," Ichigo whispered still unable to look at Kisuke.

Kisuke took off his hat and threw it onto Ichigo's desk and wedged Benihime between the bed frame and the wall. "I'm sorry too," He said running his fingers through Ichigo's hair.

Ichigo snorted but didn't move away from the touch. "Why are you sorry? I"m the one that got all worked up over nothing."

"Was it nothing?" Kisuke asked seriously. "Or have all of us been overlooking the fact that you might not be handling the loss of your powers as well as you pretend to be?"

Ichigo didn't say anything, just cuddled closer. The gesture told Kisuke all he needed to know. His mind went into overdrive to think of a way to help his beloved.

Ichigo had already forgotten his worry. He nuzzled into the crook of Kisuke's neck. It was enough to get his hormones going, and he began to fantasize about that same stubble that was tickling his cheek tickling his inner thighs.

Kisuke felt the heat of the flush against his own skin and wrapped his arm tighter around Ichigo. "Mind telling me what you are thinking about?" He asked trying not to laugh.

Ichigo blushed harder.

Kisuke cleared his throat and tried not to think about the possibilities. He was trying to be serious here. "Ichigo, I know I told you I wouldn't do this, but what if I helped you become a Shinigami again?"

Ichigo pulled back and studied Kisuke intently. "Why suddenly change your mind?" He asked suspiciously trying not to get his hopes up.

Kisuke stared at the ceiling while he answered, "Because now I know that leaving you to live a normal life would not be in your best interests."

"I would like to my powers back," Ichigo admitted plucking at his comforter. Then he frowned at a memory. "You aren't going to throw me in a hole and threaten to turn me into a hollow, are you?"

Kisuke actually giggled, which surprised Ichigo. "I'm sure that only works once," He said winking at Ichigo.

"I'm almost afraid of what you are going to do this time," Ichigo said dryly.

"Do you want me to help you," Kisuke asked seriously.

"Yes, yes I do. Kisuke I-" Ichigo couldn't finish.

"This means that you wont be seeing much of me for awhile," Kisuke warned. "But I'm sure that with a little help, I can do it."

Ichigo kissed Kisuke passionately, "Thank you. I love you," He whispered through tears.

"I love you too," Kisuke whispered. Then he looked up suddenly.

"Hollow?" Ichigo asked.

"Worse," Kisuke said retrieving his hat.

Ichigo stared at him questioningly as he prepared to leave. "What could be worse?" Ichigo asked.

"Your father thinks I have overstayed my welcome," Kisuke answered.

"He knows you're here?" Ichigo asked thoroughly nonplussed.

Kisuke smile at him. Ichigo was so cute when he was confused. "Who do you think called me and told me to get my ass down here and talk to you."

Ichigo gaped at Kisuke. He wasn't sure if he should be angry or grateful to his father.

"On the bright side," Kisuke said cupping Ichigo's face in his hand. "He's given up on you getting rid of me anytime soon," He kissed Ichigo one last time. "Good night Ichigo."

Kisuke leaped out the window and up onto the roof. Isshin was already waiting for him in full Captain's garb.

"That took way too long," Isshin complained as soon as Kisuke's clogged feet touched the tiles.

"How long did you expect it to take?" Asked. "You heard everything?"

Isshin ground his teeth, "No I'm not about to invade my son's personal space like that. I've never coddled him before. It would be a bad idea to start now."

Kisuke nodded, "He would kick your ass wouldn't he?"

"I'm more afraid he would resent me for it," Isshin admitted.

"Wise beyond your years," Kisuke said. "I have agreed to help him regain his Shinigami powers."

"Why? We agreed that Ichigo needed to move on. As you said: 'he will die soon enough'," Isshin demanded.

"Today I saw your son suffer a mental breakdown at the thought of having to be protected from hollows," Kisuke snapped. He pinched his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. He wished he had noticed it sooner. "Ichigo is hurting."

Isshin glanced sadly at the edge of the roof above Ichigo's window, "He didn't mention that. I wish he would tell me these things."

"Maybe you can help that along by telling him some things," Kisuke said seeing an opening and leaping at it.

"What do you mean?" Isshin asked warily.

"His mother," Kisuke answered. "Who she really was."

Isshin flinched. "There really is no need for that."

"Yes there is," Kisuke hissed.

Isshin's eyes widened, and he stepped back at the venom in Kisuke's voice.

"I've found a way into Ichigo's inner world," Kisuke said. "Don't ask how. I'm still working out the mechanics." He licked his lips. "But what I saw convinced me that Ichigo needs to know about his Quincy heritage."

Isshin shook his head in denial, "I'm not ready to talk about that yet."

"You had better be," Kisuke warned. "Yhwach manifests in his inner world the same as Zangetsu does. Ichigo is as much a Quincy as he is a Shinigami."

Isshin frowned, "If Yhwach has met Ichigo then he should already know the truth."

"For some reason neither Yhwach nor Zangetsu has told Ichigo the truth," Kisuke explained. "Ichigo thinks Yhwach _is _Zangetsu."

"I-" Isshin couldn't think of a way to counter that statement. It sounded insane, but Kisuke would not lie about this, and quite frankly, Kisuke was one person where the truth being stranger than fiction applied one hundred percent.

"Not to mention the fact that Yhwach can take the Quincy powers back at anytime. It would be a tragedy if Ichigo ended up like Masaki," Kisuke went on over Isshin's stutter.

Isshin held up his hand to stop Kisuke from talking. "I'll think about it," he rasped.

Kisuke pulled his hat low. "I have a lot of work to do," He said coldly. "You have until I am ready to give Ichigo his powers back to tell him, or I will."

Kisuke disappeared into the night leaving Isshin alone on the roof with his thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

1

The Hollow walked down a long hallway opening doors at random to see what was inside. All of the rooms he looked into were either perfect replicas of the same bedroom or the exact replica of the same parlor -down to the Quincy leafing through a book by the fire. As he passed the ornate throne room doors for the fifth time the Hollow stopped and scratched his chin, thinking about the library. Two seconds later he threw open a random door on the library. He stuck his head in and looked around before pulling back and shutting the door. He turned around and opened the door across the hall to see the library once again.

The Hollow rolled his eyes at the ceiling, " Wouldn't happen t'ave an armory, a dojo or somethin' cool like that, would ya?" The next door he opened reveled a large room with tatami mats covering most of the floor.

The Hollow shut the door and imagined a forest. When he opened the same door again it was still a dojo. "Aww, no mountains or trees?" The Hollow complained.

"What are you doing?"

The Hollow spun around to see Urahara Kisuke himself standing behind him. On the plus side he sounded more curious than mad at the Hollow for wandering around his inner world.

"Experimenting," The Hollow replied and opened the door again on a replica of a café in downtown Karakura -without the large panel windows that made up the front of the building. "Don't do outside much, do ya?"

Kisuke shifted his stance a bit before replying, "Not here no."

"That's too bad. I kinda wanted to see a mountain," The Hollow eyed Kisuke up and down. "Did you want somethin'?"

Kisuke nodded and held up what looked like a digital ear thermometer. The Hollow scowled at the thing suspiciously and hunched down ready to fight. If the man so much as hinted at a check up, the Hollow was going to kick his teeth in. "I need to measure how much reiatsu Ichigo will need to be exposed to in order to return his Shinigami powers to him," Kisuke told the hollow.

A big grin spread across the Hollow's face. "So you finally decided to help," He said resisting the urge to hug Kisuke. He did have an image to maintain, but he couldn't stop himself from punching Kisuke lightly on the shoulder and grinning stupidly at him.

Kisuke rubbed his shoulder. The hit was only light by the Hollow's standards. "I'm going to need to measure your reiatsu consumption directly," He said hoping the hollow would remain cooperative.

The Hollow shrugged, "King gettin' his abilities back can only be a good thing, but there's a slight problem." He grinned manically at Kisuke and opened the door next to him on the dojo. "King ain't never gotten anything outta me that he didn't fight for and he's not here."

Kisuke sighed, "So I can't get the information I need to make Ichigo a Shinigami again, Ichigo has to fight you for it." That would be a slight problem.

"Weeeellll, We can go that route an' just give up," The Hollow said walking to the middle of the tatami mats. Once there he turned to face Kisuke with a large grin on his face. "Or you can fight in his place," He finished holding out his hand and calling the white Zangetsu.

In spite of himself Kisuke was intrigued. The idea of fighting another person's zanpakutou spirit had never even crossed his mind before. He removed his geta, stepped onto the mat and drew Benihime from his cane. "Wake Benihime," The blade morphed into it's shikai form in his hand.

"So if I win I get the readings that I need?" Kisuke asked. He wanted to get the terms strait before he agreed to do this.

"Yeah, that's the point," The Hollow said exasperatedly.

"Is it?" Kisuke quipped.

"There can be more than one point," The Hollow pouted.

Kisuke smiled, "What if I loose?"

"I'll 'ave ta apologize ta Ichigo much later," The Hollow said pulling back his blade. "Getsuga Tenshou!" A red tinged, black bolt of energy flew toward Kisuke.

Kisuke raised his own blade and nullified the bolt with a red bolt of his own.

The Hollow tilted his head to the side and then disappeared from view. Kisuke turned expecting the Hollow to flank him, but it dropped from shunpo inches from where he had been facing and stabbed upward at an angle trying to impale Kisuke on the mammoth blade. Kisuke managed to whip Benihime back around and throw up a red shield between him and the blade. As Zangetsu hit the shield Kisuke let the kinetic energy bounce the shield, and him up into the air. He back flipped and landed several meters away from the Hollow.

From the corner of his eye Kisuke saw Benihime and the Quincy enter the dojo to watch the fight. They stayed off the mats to the side. Neither looked surprised or very worried with the fight. Though the Quincy rarely looked like anything besides bored. He only had a split second to register their appearance before he had to dodge a flurry of Getsuga Tenshous. Each one was a second away from being a fatal hit. It looked like the Hollow's line about apologizing to Ichigo for killing him wasn't a joke. Which didn't make sense to Kisuke, from what he understood the Hollow was the one that sparked his relationship with Ichigo to begin with.

The Hollow was on him again with lighting fast slashes of the over sized butcher knife. Kisuke threw up his shield again, but this time crimson spikes jutted out and nearly impaled the Hollow. They would have if the Hollow wasn't as flexible as a circus performer and had amazing instincts. It used a small reishi platform to bounce safely off one of the spikes and rolled to the side.

Far from being frustrated the Hollow laughed wildly as he shunpoed from wall to wall of the dojo at a speed that would have impressed Yoruichi.

Kisuke expanded his red shield into inter-locking hexagons that completely surrounded him. He tracked the Hollow with his eyes, waiting for it to strike.

The Hollow bounced off the shield a few times checking Kisuke's responses. Each time the Hollow moved in to hit the shield Kisuke would strengthen that portion to keep the Hollow from breaking through and respond with a quick thrusts of the spikes.

Kisuke found that he had to concentrate his reiatsu on the point that the Hollow would hit or his shield faltered and that black and white blade would get a bit close for comfort.

After about a minute of testing Kisuke's defenses it skidded to a stop on the other side of the dojo. It shot Kisuke a wicked smile and reached up toward it's face with it's left hand drawing the hand down across his face. A hollow mask formed.

_Oh, so there's the mask, _Kisuke thought taking in the white mask with bold black stripes running from forehead to chin across the eyes and cheeks. The yellow eyes themselves were full of madness.

Kisuke dropped his shields knowing that they would not hold up to the power he could feel pouring off the Hollow. It was time to go on the offensive. He had to take the Hollow down quickly. It was obvious that he just couldn't out endure the thing. He hoped Ichigo would forgive him for possibly maiming his zanpakutou spirit, but the thing fought like a demon.

If anything the Hollow fought even more wildly with the mask. There was no restraint. It rushed Kisuke attacking non-stop from every angle imaginable. It drove Kisuke back completely on the defensive. Kisuke couldn't beat the Hollow in sword play.

To buy himself some time to plan Kisuke silently cast six Bakudou 21: Sekienton. Red smoke billowed around the two fighters.

The Hollow was no fool. As soon as the red smoke started to spread He shunpoed to the far side of the room where he could see any attacks coming his way. Kisuke cracked a smile as he wordlessly cast Hadou 58: Tenran and started playing a game that he liked to call Chase the Kitty. It was a game that he had created in his youth to counter Yoruichi's superior shunpo. The tornado formed from the Tenran, with a little concentration, could be held and controlled for a few minutes at a time.

Kisuke used the tornado to suck up the red smoke from the Sekieton and blow it at the Hollow to obscure his vision. With Benihime controlling the tornado that was chasing the Hollow around the room, Kisuke used his left hand to cast another silent Bakudou, number 9: Hourin. An orange tendril with a spiraling yellow pattern shot out of his hand and swept toward the Hollow from the opposite direction that the tornado was chasing him.

The Hollow ducked and dashed under the tendril. He stopped long enough to swing his sword and send another Getsuga Tenshou at Kisuke. Kisuke rolled to the side to dodge the Getsuga and waved his pet tornado over to keep the hollow busy when he noticed a flash out of the corner of his eye. The Hollow had made the Getsuga _jump _from where it was originally aimed to where it's intended target had moved.

Kisuke began to worry a bit at this point. He had never seen anyone able to pull that move off before. He dropped his Hourin to dodge the Getsuga gain and was horrified to see that the thing kept following him. The Getsuga was tracking him!

_Viscous little monster, _Kisuke thought. _I have never seen Ichigo do that. You are good at keeping secrets, aren't you?_

He rolled to dodge the Getsuga yet again. Mid roll he recast the Hourin and threw it at the Hollow. This time it stuck. It wrapped around the Hollow's neck. As soon as his feet hit the ground again Kisuke used Benihime to create a shield. When the Magic Bouncing Getsuga Tenshou hit the shield it resulted in an explosion that threw Kisuke across the room and into the wall.

At the same time that Kisuke raised his shield the Hollow grabbed the tendril that was looped around his neck and swung his sword to cut it. Before he could complete the swing the explosion flung the Hollow across the room by the tendril that was still connected to Kisuke's hand. He hit the wall pretty hard to the left and a good distance above Kisuke. The Hollow fell to the mats. He jammed the tip of his sword into the mats to push himself up to his knees.

A hand reached up behind the Hollow and and grabbed the top of his head quite firmly. "Inemuri," Kisuke gasped, and the Hollow went limp falling to the mat, asleep.

Kisuke leaned back against the wall taking deep breaths. That had been a bit more difficult than he had expected. He reached in his haori and pulled out the reiatsu reader and stuck it in the Hollow's ear. He looked at the display to commit the reading to memory and hissed when he read it. He looked up at the Quincy standing near by. "Do I have to fight you too?" He asked.

The Quincy silently held out his hand. Kisuke gave him the device. The Quincy took his own reiatsu measure and handed it back. Kisuke looked at it and grimaced. "This is going to take more reiatsu than I originally thought.

Benihime bent down to help him up. "You may want to take a reading from me too," She said brushing him off.

"Why?" Kisuke asked confused.

Benihime opened her mouth to answer, when the Hollow shot up into a sitting position. "Well that was fun," He said happily.

Kisuke stared at him. "You- I put you to sleep," He whined.

"Yeah, that was brilliant. I gotta watch out for that," The Hollow grinned at him and then actually started preening.

"How the hell do you keep that maniac down?" He asked the Quincy.

""If you cut him in half, he stays down for awhile," The Quincy said shrugging.

Kisuke blinked, turned to look at the Hollow and then back at the Quincy. "I- Never mind. I have other things to do first," He looked at Benihime who was still standing at his side. "Why do I need to measure you?"

"Your inner worlds are linked, dumb-dumb," She said flicking Kisuke on the forehead with her fingers.

"Ah, you mean that he is drawing directly on my reiatsu already," Kisuke said looking thoughtful.

"Exactly, so don't go giving him any of your own reiatsu. It might cost you more than you can handle, or it could just feed back into you and have no effect at all," Benihime said.

"Yare yare. That does complicate things," Kisuke mumbled suddenly lost in his own world. Benihime silently used the reiatsu measuring device on herself and handed it back to Kisuke. He took the thermometer looking device absently and looked at the results. His eyebrows shot up. It was higher than expected. "I'm going to have to do some more calculations..." He trailed off as he faded from view.

"Benihime smiled at her two companions. "He will have it figured out in no time."

"Hmm," Was the Quincy's only reply.

"Are ya sure? It seems ta me like he wants to open a whole new field of study," The Hollow said rolling to his feet.

Benihime half smiled and nodded her head. "Don't worry, Ichigo comes first."

The Hollow sighed, "At least he has a reason to come back. Drag him here whenever you think he needs a break. Ichigo's inner world would be even better."

Benihime nodded, "Okay, that will be good for Kisuke, but why would you want him in Ichigo's inner world?"

The Hollow snorted, "An' I thought he was bad," He pointed at the Quincy who stood passively off to the side watching the other too. It was quickly becoming the Quincy's favorite hobby. "Ya said it yourself. The worlds are connected. Ichigo wont miss 'im nearly as much when he holes up in his lab as long as he spends a few minutes a day here."

The Quincy and Benihime traded a glance. Neither of them had ever heard anything like that before.

"Oh come on," The Hollow yelled. "Ya don't know that?"

Benihime shook her head, "There is no evidence of such a thing."

The Hollow rolled his eyes, "It's something yer suppose ta feel." The Hollow waved a hand dismissively. Benihime never agreed with him on this point. "Anyway if ya want evidence we will have it by the end of the day."

The Quincy smiled genuinely, "You really are doing this to make Ichigo happy."

"Shut up," The Hollow crossed his arms offended.

2

Ichigo walked to school in a good mood that morning. He wouldn't be going to Kisuke's that day because he decided that since Kisuke was going to be busy it was time for him to spend some time with his own family. It was a peaceful morning, and he was glad to be walking alone just so he could enjoy himself for a short time before he had to put on his mask and act like the serious, proper student. He really did hate his hair sometimes. It always took most of a year to convince any new teacher that he wasn't a thug.

And speaking of thugs: Ichigo walked onto the school grounds to face four of the school's worst students. He sighed and dropped his satchel to the ground ready for a fight. "You guys sure are up early. It's not even lunch yet," He said by way of greeting.

"Shut up faggot!" The one in the center with a blond mohawk yelled at him.

"Cute," Ichigo replied. "What's this all about Noguchi? I already beat your ass once this month, and yours, and yours, and yours." Ichigo pointed at each in turn. Honestly he couldn't remember the others names. Noguchi was a special case since his hair stood out even more than Ichigo's.

"That is the problem ya queer," Noguchi said. "We can't have it goin' around that some poof beat us up." The other three voiced their agreement.

"So the four of you decided to team up to show that you aren't afraid of the gay guy," Ichigo nodded to himself. "Yeah, that makes sense. It's about what four brain cells can come up with."

"Hey! Don't call us stupid, stupid," The crony with the beanie yelled.

Noguchi half turned toward him and hissed, "Shut up, dumb ass."

Ichigo had had enough. He moved away from his satchel and cracked his knuckles ready for a fight. "Alright let's finish off the rest of your pride."

The loud mouth didn't need any more invitation. He came at Ichigo with a wild swing. Ichigo ducked the swing and punched him in the solar plexus. Ichigo heard the air whoosh out of the guy's lungs before he pushed him behind him to dodge the next one's kick.

_Too High, _Ichigo thought as he dropped and swept the other boy's braced leg out from under him. That one fell, but was a little better at fighting than his friend. He tried to grab Ichigo's legs before he could get back into a defensive position, but Ichigo did fight his father on a regular basis. Isshin fought dirty as a rule. Ichigo jumped straight up in the air and landed with both feet on the back of nameless number two's head knocking him out.

Ichigo sidestepped the now unconscious bully so that he wouldn't trip. He bit his lip in consternation. _I hope that guy is okay. He's not as resilient at Dad. _

Number Three saw the hesitation and got a quick hit in. Ichigo's head snapped back as a fist met his chin. Ichigo stepped back to get his guard up and Number Three followed him trying to make good on his advantage. He was real surprised when Ichigo charged him and suddenly the world flipped upside down as Ichigo threw him over his shoulder and then kicked him in the stomach for good measure.

Ichigo turned back around to face Noguchi only to find him laying unconscious at Ishida's feet.

Ishida calmly pushed up his glasses and gave Ichigo a slight nod. Then he walked up to Loud Mouth. "I am sure you know that beating up a fellow student is against school policy," He said. "I would suggest that the four of you take the day off. One more missed day of class wont matter I'm sure."

"Or what?" Loud Mouth spat.

"Or I will turn you over to the principal, of course," Ishida said frowning and wiping superstitiously at his cheek. "The four of you are breaking school rules after all."

"So that faggot beats the crap outta us and we get in trouble for it?" Loud Mouth demanded. "What about him?"

"I assure you that as President of Class 3-A and a student representative of Karakura High School that Kurosaki Ichigo will receive a very stern warning. You on the other hand already have two strikes on your record Morihei-san."

Ichigo watched as Ishida and Morihei stared each other down. Morihei blinked first and Ishida spun on his heel walking toward the school without a backward glance. "Kurosaki," He called.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. He picked up his satchel and rushed to catch up to Ishida so that he could walk beside the other boy.

"Next time don't pick a fight in front of the school," Ishida said once Ichigo had caught up to him. "You are really lucky that those four aren't the type to tattle."

Ichigo glanced at Ishida out of the corner of his eye. "They chose the place," He said. "Are those the stern words you promised?"

Ishida nodded and pushed up his glasses again, a nervous gesture this time. "About that other thing..." He started uncomfortably. He couldn't help it. He glanced at Ichigo nervously.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "No matter what the girls in class say I don't have a crush on you, never have, never will."

Ishida sighed quietly in relief. Ichigo almost laughed at him, but decided on something even better. "Besides, now you don't have any excuse not to ask Inoue out," He said clapping Ishida on the shoulder.

Ishida stopped walking and stood rigidly in the middle of the hallway. "How- how did you know?"

"I'm not blind," Ichigo huffed when Ishida raised an eyebrow. Not wanting to be pulled into an argument Ichigo grabbed Ishida and dragged him down the hall toward the locker room where they switched shoes. At this rate both of them were going to be late for first period.

Ichigo frowned as he noticed a group of girls looking at them and whispering behind their hands. He scowled at them. It was usually enough to send them scurrying. This time the girls giggled and waved at him. Ichigo turned back to Ishida nonplussed. Ishida shrugged.

When Ichigo and Ishida got to class Mizuiro was already sitting at his desk. He greeted Ichigo as he sat down in front of him.

"I'm guessing Ishida apologized," Mizuiro said to a dazed Ichigo.

"Huh, yeah sure," Ichigo answered. "At least I wont be suspended right before graduation anyway."

Mizuiro's eyebrows shot up. "Do tell."

Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck self conscious. He didn't like discussing the fights he got into. "Four guys tried to jump me when I got to school."

"Ah... okay. Then why do you look so confused. You of all people should know that Ishida stepping in to help means everything is okay between you," Mizuiro said.

"It's not Ishida," Ichigo said. He looked at Mizuiro, the guy that usually had his finger on the pulse of the school rumor mill. "It's just- some girls actually waved at me down stairs, after I scowled at them. Look even now some of them are staring at me." He stared back at two of the bolder ones.

"Good morning Kurosaiki-kun," They chorused.

"That," Ichigo said to Mizuiro. "What the heck is that?"

"That?" Mizuiro asked trying not to laugh at his friend. His friend whom most girls avoided because he was dangerous. "Ever since you came out to the whole school your popularity among the girls has skyrocketed. It went up 400% over the weekend."

Ichigo flinched, "What? Because I'm gay?"

Mizuiro nodded.

"That makes no fucking sense," Ichigo said turning toward the front of the class so that he could slouch down and sulk.

"Hey, that's teenage girls for you. They never make sense," Mizuiro said to the back of Ichigo's head. "It's just one of the many reasons I date older women." He was rewarded with a brief laugh from Ichigo.

3

Ichigo walked home from school in a kind of daze. It was all over. The reputation of a though guy that he had been working on for years, since his mother's death, was dead. Several of the girls in his class had taken the time to say goodbye to him at the end of the school day. He closed the front door, dropped his bag and bent to take off his shoes.

"Oh you're home," Yuzu called from the kitchen where she was already preparing dinner. She sounded delighted and very surprised. Ichigo winced. He had been avoiding his family a lot lately.

"Yeah," He said carrying his bag over to the kitchen table and dropping it on the floor. "Kisuke is busy with a project," He sat down at the table.

Yuzu nodded, "Yeah, your boyfriend," She eyed Ichigo as she stirred the pot on the stove. "So... when do we get to meet him?"

Ichigo shook his head, " How do you know about it already?"

"You and dad are many things, quiet isn't one of them," Yuzu said impishly. "Do you think you can drag him over here at least once?"

Ichigo froze at the idea of his dad and Kisuke sitting down to dinner together. "Uh, I don't think having dad and Kisuke in the same room for an extended amount of time is a good idea."

"Pish," Yuzu waved his concerns away. "Like dad is going to kill some one in cold blood in front of us."

Ichigo grinned, "Okay, I'll give you that one, but what about him embarrassing the hell out of me?"

Yuzu twirled a stray hair around her finger and stared at the ceiling for answers, "mmmm, just think of it as testing the ground so your little sisters know what to expect later. Invite Kisuke-san over. Karin and I want to meet him."

Ichigo gave the house a cursory look, " Like I said Kisuke is busy. Where is Karin anyway?"

"Soccer practice," Yuzu said returning to dinner. "Don't change the subject. Kisuke-san has other people living with him, yeah?"

Ichigo wondered what she was getting at. "Yes, Tessai, Jinta and Ururu," He replied warily.

"And dad has their phone number?" She asked innocently.

"Yes," Ichigo confirmed narrowing his eyes at his little sister. She was going to make sure that dinner happened. There really was nothing he could do about it. He grabbed his bag from the floor. "I'm going upstairs to get some homework done before dinner."

Yuzu glanced over her shoulder at him. "It's your first night at home in weeks and you are going to do homework?"

"Yes," Ichigo said. It made sense to him. Finals were coming up, and he did want to get into a good college.

"But you spend a lot of time with your boyfriend. Why can't you spend a night with us and not do homework?" Yuzu asked. Ichigo was getting the feeling that she was a little bit jealous.

"I always do homework after school. You know this," Ichigo said as he walked toward the stairs.

"Yeah but... wait. You go over there and do homework?" Yuzu asked surprised.

"Um yeah," Ichigo turned around to grin at her. "I'm not third in my class because of magic."

Yuzu's cheeks puffed out comically. "Nothing else?"

Ichigo looked at his little sister. "I sometimes help Ururu and Jinta with their homework. After I'm done Kisuke and I talk, if he isn't busy with something. Sometimes I talk with Tessai. But mostly I've been studying for exams lately."

Yuzu made a frustrated sound like a tea kettle left on the stove for too long. "You need to cut loose sometimes Oni-san." A renewed vigor entered her eyes. "If you will excuse me, I have a phone call to make."

Ichigo shook his head and went up stairs. His little sister was so transparent when she was plotting. It was cute.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

A soon as Ichigo opened his bedroom door he was accosted by a a fuzzy plush-bomb. Kon wrapped his little stuffed arms and legs around Ichigo's head.

"What the hell?" Ichigo yelled pulling Kon off his face.

"Hey, that's my line," Kon yelled angerly kicking and punching at the air while Ichigo held him by the scruff of the neck at arms length.

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo demanded. "And stop that!"

Kon stopped flailing at the air and pointed an accusing paw at Ichigo. "You never told me you were gay!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes. _Here we go again._

"That's just mean. I had to over hear Karin and Yuzu talking about it to find out," Kon whined.

"So?" Ichigo said tossing Kon onto the bed. "I forgot to tell you. It's not like it's important."

"Not important," Kon pushed himself to his feet and crossed his arms indignantly. "We share a room! It's the kind of thing you tell a man before he moves in with you, and you didn't say anything at all!"

Ichigo dropped into his desk chair and massaged his temples. Kon was a trial at the best of times. "I'm sorry, okay. I should have told you."

Kon stopped and eyed him. "You had better be. Why am I always the last to know these things?"

Ichigo shook his head. He didn't have an answer for that one.

"Besides a man's gotta know when his room mate might be checking out his sexy bod," Kon said strutting across the comforter.

A half laugh escaped Ichigo before he could stop himself. "You're a plushy."

"It's the principle that matters," Kon answered. "You couldn't do better than me anyway." Kon sat on the edge of the bed. "So who is the unlucky guy anyway? Yuzu and Karin were positive you already had a main squeeze. Is it that Ishida guy or the big silent one? I forget his name."

"His name is Chad, and no it isn't him," Ichigo said pulling out his Chemistry book.

Kon scratched his head. "Then who? You sneaking out with that Pineapple Head?"

Ichigo almost choked at the thought of he and Renji together, "No! Kami no. I can't see Shinigami anymore anyway."

Kon looked at Ichigo expectantly. "If you want to get any work done you will tell me," The plushy threatened.

Ichigo sighed, "Kisuke."

Kon froze, then he used one paw to clean out his ear. "Come again?"

"Urahara Kisuke," Ichigo clarified trying not to laugh. "You know him of course." A dumbfounded plushy was an interesting sight.

Ichigo turned back to his book.

"Told ya you couldn't do better than me," He heard Kon mutter behind him. Out of the corner of his eye Ichigo saw Kon pretend to slick back his mane.

About an hour later there was a knock on Ichigo's door. He turned around to see Karin stick her head into his room. "Dinner's ready," She said. She paused and drummed her fingers on the door. "Do you even know what you have started?"

"What?" Ichigo blinked at her dumbly. He was pretty sure no one knew about the fight he had gotten into that morning, but it had been out in the open.

Karin slipped into the room and plopped down on Ichigo's bed. "Yuzu has that look in her eye."

Ichigo sighed, "Yeah, she is plotting a way to meet Kisuke." He shrugged. It seemed harmless enough to him.

"No," Karin said shaking her head. "Our darling sister has been on the phone with some guy named Tessai."

Ichigo nodded, "He works for Kisuke. I told her that she wouldn't be able to get Kisuke himself on the phone. It makes sense that she would talk to Tessai."

"Yes," Karin agreed looking Ichigo in the eye to see if there was any kind of enlightenment there. "Because of that she has time to plan... and an accomplice by the sound of it."

"Plan what?" Ichigo asked with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Evidently, this Tessai guy liked the idea of having a little 'family dinner' just the nine of us," Karin rested her chin on her fist and waited for her brother to freak out.

Ichigo stared at the ceiling for a moment before commenting, "Nine? The four of us plus Kisuke, Tessai, Jinta and Ururu makes eight."

"Well they mentioned a friend of Kisuke's, Yoruichi I think. Anyway, Yuzu wanted me to ask you if there was anyone else you wanted to invite to the party."

Ichigo just covered his face with his hands and groaned, "Lets just go eat," He said. "Nine people is enough." He held out his hand to help Karin up, and she raised an eyebrow at him and pushed herself up. Ichigo snorted and followed her down stairs.

Ichigo took his usual seat at the table. As they sat down Ichigo glared at his too cute little sister. Yuzu beamed at him.

"Well, glad to see that the whole family is here," Isshin said grandly as he sat down at the table. He glanced back and forth accusingly between Ichigo and Karin.

Ichigo glanced at Karin surprised that Isshin was including her. "What did you do?" He asked curiously.

Karin grinned proudly at Ichigo, "My team is going to finals. I've been practicing extra hours for the past two weeks." She spooned some rice onto her plate. "Dad's actually proud. He's just also lonely. Yuzu joined a multi media club at school too. They have club meetings twice a week. I think the Old Man might be having withdrawals. "

Ichigo turned to Yuzu. "You joined a school club?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I'm learning how to edit audio into simple flash animation clips right now."

Ichigo blinked at her. "So anime?"

Yuzu laughed, "Something like that. Though I would deny ever being that good."

Isshin teared up when it was obvious that he was being ignored, "Children can be so cruel."

"Aww, don't worry daddy. We still love you," Yuzu assured her father. She narrowed her eyes at the other two who were quick to jump in with their own assurances.

"So what have you been up to Dad?" Karin asked.

Isshin rolled his eyes. "There is a summer flu bug going around. All I have been doing for the last week is writing prescriptions," He pouted. "Daddy wants to play with Yuzu-chan on the computer."

Yuzu rolled her eyes. "I'm not playing games Dad. I'm working."

"But that game looked fun," Isshin countered.

Yuzu shrugged giving up.

Everyone turned to look at Ichigo.

"What?" He asked.

"Everyone else has talked about their week so far," Karin prompted. All three of his family members looked at him in anticipation.

Ichigo sighed, "Mostly I've been studying for finals."

The other three Kurosaki's looked at each other. "He is being purposefully dense, isn't he?" Karin asked.

"Yup," Yuzu said. "That's the same excuse he gave me earlier." She leaned toward her brother. "Not one word about you and your new boyfriend alone in your room last night?"

Ichigo blushed. "That's private," He snapped not wanting to talk about his freak out or what Kisuke had said afterward.

"So you're not going to tell us that your boyfriend is working to get your Shinigami powers back?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at her. "Were you listening at my door again?"

Yuzu got very interested in her meal.

"How was your date?" Isshin asked. Both of his sisters perked up.

"How do you know about that?" Ichigo demanded.

"Tessai called to see what your favorite fruit was," Yuzu said smiling. "I think it's sweet, but why didn't Kisuke call to ask?"

"Kisuke is a disaster in the kitchen," Isshin seriously regarded all three of his children. "If Kisuke hands you anything to eat or drink ask him if he made it, for your own safety."

"It can't be that bad," Karin scoffed.

"Actually, Tessai gets a real look of fear every time Kisuke gets near the stove," Ichigo said thoughtfully. "It's impressive considering I have never seen him without his sunglasses."

The twins traded a look. "I'll send you care packages whenever you decided to move in with him," Yuzu promised.

Isshin choked on his food.

Ichigo shook his head grinning. "As long as Tessai is there I don't have to worry."

"Uh-" Isshin started coughing to clear his throat. "You will be going to college, right?"

Ichigo nodded, " I will have to work something out with Kisuke, but I know he will want me to finish my education."

Isshin considered that. It made sense. Kisuke could never really put up with idiots, uninformed people or the general population at large. Ichigo having a full education almost seemed like something Kisuke would insist on.

"Have you decided on what you want to do for a job?" Karin asked.

Ichigo shrugged, "I might just follow in the Old Man's footsteps."

Isshin felt very proud of that until his darling daughter opened her mouth. "But you kinda suck in emergencies," Karin pointed out.

Ichigo looked sheepish. "I'm getting better," He mumbled. "Once I actually know what to do I should be fine."

"Haven't you paid attention to Dad all these years?" Yuzu asked.

Ichigo glanced at his father and pursed his lips. "Um no."

The other three Kurosaki's laughed at that. "You might want to consider something else then," Yuzu told her brother. "Being a doctor takes a lot of hard work."

Ichigo shrugged. He had never been afraid of hard work. The rest of the dinner was his sisters thinking up different jobs Ichigo could do once he was out of college. They thought of everything from school teacher to marine biologist for some strange reason. Ichigo sat back and enjoyed the company of his family. For once there was no underlying tension to the meal were his dad acted like he would break down at any second. He felt almost normal.


	7. Chapter 7

1

The Hollow looked around the new decor from the plush carpeting where his head was pillowed on Benihime's lap. It had sounded like a good idea at the start. A mixing of the elements of Ichigo's and Kisuke's inner worlds was a step forward in their relationship. He just hadn't taken into account how strange it would look. Having a plush lounge area situated on the side of a glass skyscraper was just odd when fully realized. He looked up at the giant parasol that covered the whole of the lounge area then at the sun that was ninety degrees away from being blocked by it.

"You see, this is nice," Benihime said running her fingers through the Hollow's hair. The Hollow closed his eyes and purred quietly as he nuzzled her thigh.

"Yeah," The Hollow said.

"It is an interesting idea," The Quincy said from his sitting mat beside Benihime.

She smiled indulgently and patted his hand. "You will get used to it with time. Isn't it nice to have a place to sit though?"

The Quincy nodded. It was a nice change from standing on flag poles.

The Hollow cracked an eye open and judged how close the two were sitting. It might have been optimism but it looked like they were sitting a little bit closer than they have been in the past. Satisfied that the Quincy was making an effort the Hollow reached into his haori and pulled out a book from the library in Kisuke's inner world and began reading.

Benihime sniffed. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked. She had some prejudices that included people who took her books from her library.

The Hollow glanced up to see the Quincy smile slightly. The ponce always did like to see him get in trouble.

"Yep. Reading about how Kisuke learned how to swim is hilarious," he said. "And it makes me feel better."

"He almost died, you know," Benihime said tapping one of her long sharp nails on the Hollow's forehead.

The Hollow snorted. "It was shallow water. If he hadn't panicked he could'ave just stood up."

"He didn't know that," Benihime said defensively. "He will come back."

The Hollow snorted. Benihime bristled ready for a fight.

"Why are you really reading the memories?" The Quincy asked suddenly interrupting the pending fight.

"Entertainment," The Hollow said. "And to help out with Ichigo and Kisuke's relationship."

"I fail to see how you knowing Kisuke's memories helps with that," The Quincy said.

"You wouldn't," the Hollow said. He sat up to look Benihime in the eye. He was sure that she instinctively understood what he was talking about. But he was disappointed to see that she was just as confused as the Quincy was. The Hollow groaned. "I know that just because I know something doesn't mean that Ichigo knows it. That is painfully obvious when it comes to his shikai and bankai abilities. But if I already know about Kisuke's memories it will promote a deeper understanding once Ichigo does know these things. Those two dufuses need all the help that they can get."

Benihime's lips quirked up in a quick smile. "So that is why you let me play around in Ichigo's subconscious," She said.

"Well, that and it's a wild ride," The Hollow admitted. It was a lot more fun than standing on a flag pole and brooding.

"But I have yet to see any embarrassing memories," Benihime said pouting. "You don't keep them in books or in any physical form."

"We have an updated medium," The Quincy said holding out a remote control for Benihime to see. He pulled up an old memory that was a favorite of his. One that he kept around even though Ichigo couldn't actually remember it.

On the large glass window pane of the building across from them a video image of Ichigo diving face first into a birthday cake.

Benihime stifled a laugh behind her hand.

"He was a happy child," The Quincy said sadly.

As they continued to watch a laughing Masaki pulled her son out of the cake by the back of his shirt and had to hold him to keep him from diving back in.

Benihime reached out and placed her hand comfortingly on the Quincy's shoulder. The Quincy leans in to the touch. The Hollow went back to his book with a satisfied smile on his face.

2

Days after Kisuke disappeared into his lab Ichigo found himself sitting in the kitchen of Kisuke's home warily watching Tessai make food for the party he and Yuzu were planning. Ichigo had been under the impression that Yuzu would be making the food as she had sat him down and had him name off random dishes that he wanted until she was satisfied with the list and bought the ingrediants.

"So... How many people are coming?" Ichigo asked.

Tessai shrugged. "Yoruichi said to be prepared," he said.

"Yuzu is making food too," Ichigo pointed out.

Tessai shrugged again and stirred the pot on the stove. "I'm sure it will be enough."

"That's not what I meant," Ichigo said laying his head down on the table. "He's still in his lab."

"Yes," Tessai answered turning around to observe Ichigo. "But that wasn't a question was it?"

"No. I can kind of sense him," Ichigo said. "I think. He hasn't moved much in days." He looked down at the floor as if he could see through it. "Is he still alive?"

Tessai's lip twitched. "Relatively speaking," He said letting the humor show in his voice. "This happens when he gets into a project. I'm lucky if he eats the food I leave for him."

"So you haven't actually told him about the party?" Ichigo asked as Ururu walked into the room and held up a cheep box containing a chess set. She gazed up at Ichigo hopefully. Ichigo sighed and nodded. He sucked at chess, but Ururu liked to play the game. He just hoped he could remember how all the pieces moved this time.

Ururu hopped happily over to the table and started to set up the board.

"You can't really tell him anything when he gets like this," Tessai said turning back to his cooking. "Besides not telling him gives him less of a chance to run away."

"I see," Ichigo said and settled down for a long and embarrassing defeat.

Later Jinta joined them and was trying to convince Ururu to make a move that even Ichigo realized was a bad one when Kisuke pulled himself out of the trap door and stumbled to the kitchen table.

"You have any tea made?" He asked Tessai, who is already pouring a cup. Kisuke stoped for a second when he saw Ichigo. "You really are here."

Ichigo nodded as Kisuke droped onto the mat beside him. "Hmm, I thought that was the lack of sleep," Kisuke said as he drank his tea. "Stop listening to Jinta," he said suddenly to Ururu. "Or you will loose." Kisudke peered closer at the board. "Which would be a shame."

"Gee thanks," Ichigo said.

Kisuke didn't respond and lay his head on Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo blushed.

"What are you doing here?" Kisuke asked sleepily. His breath tickled Ichigo's neck.

"I-I uh missed you," Ichigo said quietly looking down at his lap.

Kisuke sat up and took a sip of his tea. Then he tilted Ichigo's head up with a finger on his chin and kissed him. "Mm, I'll be done soon. I promise."

Ichigo grabbed his own cup of tea that was suddenly there -Tessai was starting to scare Ichigo with how good he was at what he did- and tried to drown his embarrassment in it.

Kisuke smiled at him and then saw the food that Tessai was preparing. "That is a lot of food," He said.

"Yes it is," Tessai said. "You need to sleep."

Kisuke shook his head in denial but ruined it with a jaw cracking yawn. "Okay, maybe a bit," He said laying down right there at the table and pillowing his head on Ichigo's thigh.

"Um don't you want to go to bed," Ichigo asked.

"But you're out here," Kisuke said pulling his hat down over his eyes.

Ichigo watched in amazement as Kisuke's breathing slowed and he slipped into a doze. For a second his arm hoovered over Kisuke afraid to touch him and finally decided to rest his arm on the table.

"He never sleeps long," Tessai said returning to his cooking.

Ururu moved her knight as if this was a regular occurrence and looked up expectantly at Ichigo. After a moment Ichigo moved a random pawn.

"Check Mate," Ururu said moving her rook into place. She sat back. "Want to play again?"

"One more game," Ichigo said. It wasn't like he was going anywhere. "Then I have some homework to finish."

3

Ichigo was in the middle of revising for a history test when Kisuke woke up.

"Feeling better?" Ichigo asked as Kisuke sat up.

Kisuke pulled off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. "Yeah, I really needed that," He said putting the hat back on his head. "What about you?"

"My leg is asleep," Ichigo said shifting to get the blood recirculating again. He winched as his leg started to tingle.

"Sorry," Kisuke said. He started to massage Ichigo's leg.

Ichigo groaned, "Thanks."

A smile formed under Kisuke's hat. "So why is Tessai making so much food?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Tessai said not to tell you," Ichigo said as he flexed his toes.

"Tell me what?" Kisuke said kissing Ichigo on the nose.

Ichigo huffed a short breathless laugh. Kisuke was trying to wheedle the information out of him. "It's not a big secret. He just thinks you are going to run off or something."

Kisuke stopped massaging Ichigo's calf and studied Ichigo intently.

"Its just a silly party that Yuzu wanted to have. I'm not sure why exactly. If she really wanted to meet you she could just drop by for a visit...Kisuke?" Ichigo trailed off.

"How many people are coming?" Kisuke asked looking a little pale.

Ichigo was starting to get worried. He had expected Kisuke to take to the discovery of a surprise party with his usual amount of aplomb. Tessai might have had a point in not telling him. "Well, Yuzu invited everyone that she could think of, my friends, Yoruichi, and Dad. Are you okay?"

Kisuke giggled nervously. "Yes, it's fine," He said. "I was just expecting to have some extra time to do some repairs on my gigai." He looked at Ichigo slyly. "Or at the least spend the day with you."

"At least, huh?" Ichigo asked grinning.

"Weeellll, I didn't exactly know that you would be showing up today,"Kisuke said running his hand up and down Ichigo's leg.

Ichigo shuddered at the touch. He didn't want to admit that he had just wanted to be in the same house as Kisuke. "We still can. The party isn't until later today."

Kisuke glared at Tessai. "I'm going to get you for this," He said to the other man.

Tessai shrugged.

"What?" Ichigo asked confused at the sudden animosity.

"Tessai has a bad habit of forcing me to socialize," Kisuke said glaring darkly at Tessai. "I thought he had already learned his lesson after I poured hollow bait down his shirt."

Tessai sat peacefully sipping at his own tea as if nothing were wrong.

Ichigo looked between the two and frowned skeptically. "You guys have a very disturbing relationship. And it's not just you two. It's Yoruichi too."

"Hm, yes. Thankfully Yoruichi seems content to make you blush as often as she can for now. Tessai is the one making the power move," Kisuke said gazing off into the distance and fanning himself with that damn paper fan.

Ichigo looked to Tessai for help. The big man just shrugged slightly and adjusted his glasses.

"Are you sure you don't need more sleep?" Ichigo asked Kisuke.

The scientist smile indulgently. "I only sleep about four hours a night anyway. I'm fine, perfectly sane."

Tessai snorted.

"Quiet you," Kisuke growled.

4

To say that the Hollow was mad would be an understatement. Ichigo had been called to help Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin carry over all the food Yuzu had cooked for the party. Kisuke had decided that it was time to make good on his promise to go visit Zangetsu and Benihime again. He had closed his eyes in his bedroom and opened them just in time to not have his head chopped off.

Another piece of skyscraper exploded where Kisuke had been standing a moment before. He skidded to a stop on the glass and tried once again to talk to the Hollow. "Look, I think you might be over reacting..."

Kisuke had to stop talking to fend off a flurry of blows from the pissed off Hollow. This was bad. The Hollow wasn't speaking, and there was no sign of the intelligence the Hollow normally possessed. Kisuke tried to put some distance between them only to have another Getsuga Tenshou chase him around the building. He cast Denku and let the Getsuga Tenshou crash against the shield. He took the spare moment to look around for Benihime of the Quincy. Neither was in sight, which was another bad sign. Then the Hollow was on him again.

Kisuke really had to think of something fast, or he was going to loose this fight. The Hollow's remark about having to apologize to Ichigo for killing him crossed his mind unwillingly. It was much more skilled than Ichigo was at the moment. He had to find a way to stop this fight fast.

He jumped backward to put as much room between him and the Hollow as he could, reciting under his breath, "Wall of iron sand, tower formed from hate, forge molten iron and finish in silence, Bakudou 75: Gochu Tekken!" He pointed at the Hollow already racing at him with a yell. Five pillars fell from thin air. The chains laced between them pinning the snarling Hollow to the glass window.

Kisuke knew that he only had a few seconds before the Hollow just blasted through the binding with his reiatsu. He rushed forward and skidded to a stop on his knees beside the Hollow and rested his hand gently on the Hollow's head. "Hey," He said softly stroking the white hair. It felt just like Ichigo's hair soft and almost fluffy. "It's okay. I'm sorry," It seemed to work. The Hollow didn't break the bakudou. Kisuke kept stroking the Hollow's head and when he felt the other relax he dissipated the reiatsu holding the bakudou in place.

The Hollow levered itself up onto its knees and knelt in front of Kisuke. "You said you would come back," The Hollow said staring him down with black and yellow eyes.

"I'm here now," Kisuke said gently as he removed his hat to meet the Hollow's eyes with his own blue ones.

"You aren't going to abandon me?" The Hollow asked in a voice that sounded more like the voice of a lost child than it had any right to.

Kisuke's first reaction as he felt a pang in the area of his heart was that that just wasn't fair. He pulled the Hollow into a hug. "No, I'm not going to leave you," He whispered into its ear. "And I'm certainly not going to leave Ichigo."

5

Ichigo, Karin and Isshin were unloading plastic containers of food onto the kitchen tables -Tessai had moved another one into the kitchen for all the food- and counters, while Yuzu introduced herself to Tessai and tried to reconcile the large muscular man with the mustache with the soft spoken voice she had heard on the phone.

"Hi," Yuzu said brightly. "I'm Kurosaki, Yuzu."

Tessai bowed. "Good day Miss Yuzu." The man said in return.

"I'm sorry we are late. It took a lot longer carrying the bags than I thought it would," Yuzu said blushing in embarrassment. "I hope it's enough."

Ichigo and Karin looked at each other startled. As it was they were probably going to be eating leftovers for a week and that didn't take into account what Tessai had cooked.

"So, where is he?" Yuzu asked looking around the kitchen for Kisuke.

"Yuzu please," Ichigo begged.

"What?" Yuzu asked innocently. "I really want to meet him."

Ichigo popped the top off of a bowl of dip and put it on the table. "You guys are taking this a lot better than I thought you would. I mean it's not like this is normal. "

"Well it's not like this is the first time we have heard about a gay relationship," Karin said nonchalantly as she poked at a mochi ball. "I think we got the basics down, probably better than you do." Yuzu slapped her hand away, and Karin glared at her.

"Eh, where have you heard about this before?" Isshin asked mildly alarmed.

Karin rolled her eyes at her dad. "Ichigo got to go out and battle monsters all night every night for a year. The rest of us mere mortals had the internet. And before you ask the answer is more than you want me to know."

Ichigo blushed remembering his own curiosity getting the better of him when he was alone in the house. It was a fairly thorough introduction to sexual exploits of all kinds.

"I knew that computer was a bad idea," Isshin muttered to Tessai. "So where is Kisuke, half way to Tokyo?" He asked in a normal tone. Both men laughed at some old memory.

Ichigo scoffed at his dad. "He's somewhere below the training ground," He said pulling up the hatch. "His lab?"

Isshin and Tessai traded a look. Tessai nodded silently.

"You going to go get him?" Isshin asked.

Ichigo nodded absently as he stared at the long ladder down to the training ground below. He sincerely wished that he could just jump down like he used to, but he would probably break his legs if he tried. "Where's the door?" He asked Tessai.

"Behind the biggest boulder on your left," Tessai said.

Ichigo nodded his head and began his decent. He found a small stair case behind the boulder and walked down into a short hall. He opened the door at the end of the hall and stopped dead in horror. Faceless bodies hung from the walls and were spread out on three of the four work tables. A huge super computer took up the whole back wall. The comparatively small screen at desk height.

One of the bodies on a table started to move. Ichigo slammed the door shut and sank down to the floor. His heart was pounding. He put his face in his hands and tried to calm himself down. _They are just gigais. They are just gigais,_ He chanted over and over in his head.

The door opened again, and Kisuke was there urging him up into a standing position. Ichigo laughed nervously and wrapped his arms around Kisuke's neck.

"I'm sorry," Kisuke whispered into his ear. "My lab isn't the most friendly looking place in the world."

Ichigo snorted at the understatement. "It's okay. A few throw pillows and it will look as open and friendly as any evil mad scientist's lab," He said.

Kisuke pulled back out of Ichigo's arms far enough to check and see if Ichigo had cracked.

"I'm fine," Ichigo said forcefully. "I really should have expected something like that considering your specialty." He kissed Kisuke on the nose to reinforce that he wasn't upset. Kisuke puled him closer in return and slid his hands over Ichigo's butt.

This move was a bit confusing for Ichigo. He didn't know whether to be aroused because of the way Kisuke was holding him or alarmed that the recreation of a Silent Hill level didn't bother the older man one bit.

"Mmm, Tessai says that I shouldn't hang them on hooks, but If I don't the limbs tangle," Kisuke said.

Ichigo could hear the smile in his voice. "If all you are going to do is tease me I can leave," He said pulling back slightly. Kisuke pouted. Ichigo instantly forgave him and pulled him in again for another slow and sensual kiss.

As he was Kissing Kisuke Ichigo thought he had felt a slight breeze on the back of his neck. He decided to ignore it. He was having too much fun.

"You have two minutes before Isshin comes down here," Yoruichi said right next to his ear.

Ichigo jumped backward into the wall of the small hallway muscles tense and ready for a fight. Yoruichi was on the floor at his feet holding her belly as she laughed at them. He glance up at Kisuke. the man was rubbing the back of his head where it had hit the wall. He shrugged sheepishly when he caught Ichigo's eye.

"Oh it is going to be a sad day when he stops reacting like that," Yoruichi gasped painfully between giggles.

Both men glared at her which set her off laughing again.

"What are you doing here?" Kisuke asked still rubbing his head. "Damn it Yoruichi. I just decompressed the neck."

"I'm doing my job, genius," Yoruichi said flicking his hat. "Now come on. Shinji didn't believe me when I told him you two had gotten together, and I have a substantial bet to win."

"You invited the Visored?" Kisuke asked. His voice squeaked slightly, and Ichigo glanced at him. Kisuke looked a bit out of his depth.

Yoruichi shrugged, "Sure did. There's plenty of food from what I saw up stairs and booze too!" She turned and skipped up the stairs as if she expected them to follow her. Kisuke shrugged himself and grabbed Ichigo's hand before tugging him up the stairs.

At the bottom of the ladder they met Isshin who held a naked katana in his hand.

"You have got to be kidding me," Ichigo said ready to pull Kisuke behind him if he had to.

Isshin grinned widely at his son. "Come on now Ichigo. Let Papa have some fun," He said flashing his Ichigo the peace sign.

Ichigo groaned loudly.

"I just finished maintenance on my gigai," Kisuke said plaintively.

Isshin lunged forward with a huge grin on his face and slammed the katana down on Kisuke's head. Ichigo jumped forward with a scream only to see the katana bounce off Kisuke's head.

Kisuke laughed evilly. "You will pay for damages," He said to Isshin.

"What the hell," Ichigo yelled.

Kisuke smiled at him. "Come on, did you actually think I would design a gigai that could be hurt by a plain katana?"

"I- well that would explain dad's durability," Ichigo said thinking of all the times he had thrown his father out of a second story window.

"Yeah, it's fine see," Isshin banged the katana into Kisuke a couple of more times. Ichigo couldn't help but flinch. "Gotta remember not to do this with your sisters' boyfriends though. they are likely to be human."

Both of the older men shared a laugh. Even Yoruichi was on the ground again, she was laughing so hard.

Ichigo pinched his nose in frustration. "You guys are just a bunch of cartoon characters," He said heading for the ladder.

"Hey, I'm a respected doctor," Isshin protested.

"Actually, so am I," Kisuke said dusting off his clothes. Both Kurosaki men looked at each other perplexed by the new revelation. "I have a PhD in Biochemistry," Kisuke said a little put out by the disbelief. "Is it really that much of a stretch?"

"No," Ichigo said. "I just thought, you know, candy store..."

Kisuke shrugged. "I was interested in what I could incorporate to make more realistic gigais."

"Ah, that makes sense," Isshin said.

Yoruichi reached up and grabbed to lever herself off the ground. "Most boring year ever," She grumbled. She pushed Kisuke into Isshin starting a mock fight between the three of them. Ichigo rolled his eyes at their childish antics and started the long climb to the top of the ladder and, he hoped, sanity.

At the top of the ladder he stopped and blinked. He could see the Visored being introduced to his sisters.

"Hey!" Shinji called from across the room. To Ichigo's chagrin he came over and threw his arm around Ichigo's shoulders. Ichigo groaned internally as he remembered that Shinji had a bet with Yoruichi.

"So," Shinji said exaggeratedly, "I didn't know that you were that stupid." Ichigo frowned at Shinji and stayed silent. "I mean people your age are usually looking for that special someone, or something." He shook his head sadly. "It is so sad when a naive kid has his dreams shattered."

"You are very sure that I can't hurt you right now, aren't you?" Ichigo said through clinched teeth.

"Yeah," Shinji said with a sappy smile. "And I may already be a bit drunk. But seriously, you seem like a 'one true love' kind of guy. Are you really sleeping with Urahara?"

"No," Ichigo said.

Shinji raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"We are waiting until I turn eighteen," Ichigo said suddenly embarrassed.

"Urahara is willing to wait? Because you said so?" Shinji asked.

Ichigo nodded.

"Huh, that's new," Shinji squeezed Ichigo's shoulders, but Ichigo didn't know if it was encouraging or not. Shinji leaned in closer. "Speaking as someone who has been there, you are better off going into this relationship expecting it to end."

"Uh..."

"Just some friendly advice," Shinji said.

Before Ichigo could find anything to say Shinji walked over to where Kisuke and the others were coming out of the trap door. He didn't know what to think. the bitter snappish nature aside Shinji was giving him a warning. What surprised Ichigo the most though was that Shinji had implied that he had been a former of Kisuke's. He hadn't thought that he would have to deal with former lovers so soon or know any of them for that matter.

Karin waved her hand in Ichigo's face. "You there?" She asked.

Ichigo sighed, "Yeah. You having fun?"

"Yes... Your boyfriend has some weird friends," Karin said. "The girl in the glasses kept trying to get me to look at hentai with her."

"Lisa quit corrupting my sisters. It's bad enough as it is," Ichigo yelled.

"It's art, and it should be appreciated!"

Ichigo sighed exaggeratedly. "Come on," He said.

"Where?" Karin asked suspiciously.

"You wanted to meet Kisuke, right?" Ichigo said pointing at where Kisuke was being introduced to Yuzu by an over excited Isshin. They both shrugged at each other and walked over.

"And this is my other lovely daughter Karin," Isshin said cheerfully sticking his katana point down in the wooden floor.

Kisuke frowned at Isshin disapprovingly.

"What?" Isshin asked pretending to be oblivious.

"Hi," Karin said. "So you are the crazy mad scientist that's stealing precious Ichigo from us." She grinned at Kisuke. "Nice to meet you."

"I see Isshin has been talking about me," Kisuke replies.

"Yep," Yuzu said cheerfully and spontaneously gave Kisuke a hug, making him jump a little in surprise. "Welcome to the family."

"Awww, that's so cute," Yoruichi said to Shinji as she sipped on her sake. She enjoyed touching moments like these. Kisuke's face was priceless.

Isshin swooped in and grabbed Yuzu's shoulders. "But Yuzu-chan is supposed to be on daddy's side," He said with tears in his eyes and a pout.

"Oh Daddy," Yuzu said patting him on the head. She looked up at Kisuke. "Did he really use that silly katana on you?"

Kisuke nodded and wrapped his arm around Ichigo. "Isshin is very protective of you guys," He said.

"We're doomed to be alone then," Karin said to Yuzu. "Our boyfriends probably wont be ninjas."

"Daddy wouldn't kill anyone," Yuzu said defending her father.

"I don't know, sweety. It depends on the guy," Isshin said eyeing Kisuke who had pulled Ichigo closer to his side during the conversation. He reached out for the katana only to have his hand close over thin air. He looked around to to find it and saw Tessai looming over him with the katana laid out over his palms. Tessai pointedly looked at the large gouge in the floor and back at Isshin. He shook his head as if disappointed before turning around and taking the katana out of the room. Everyone laughed as Isshin managed to sheepishly apologize to Kisuke about the floor.

Ichigo's friends all arrived about twenty minutes in one large group, all eight of them. Tatsuki, Mizuiro, Keigo and Chizuru all clumped together in a group near the door when they saw all the people they didn't know already huddling around the food and alcohol. Orihime waved cheerfully from Tatsuki's side. "Hello everyone," She called.

"It seems the rest of our guests have arrived," Kisuke announced loudly from his spot against the wall with Ichigo and his sisters. Yoruichi was sitting on Ichigo's other side laughing at her friend's attempts to talk to pre-pubescent girls and getting pleasantly drunk. From behind his fan he whispered to Yoruichi and the ever present Tessai, "I hate you both."

Ichigo bit his tongue so that he wouldn't laugh at his flustered boyfriend. How had he never noticed how Kisuke acted around crowds before?

Tessai shrugged it off, and Yoruichi just grinned and motioned for Kisuke to go introduce himself. Kisuke heaved a beleaguered sigh and grabbed Ichigo's arm to drag him across the room.

"Hi guys," Ichigo said casually as Kisuke pulled him forward to use him as a shield. He happily leaned back into Kisuke's embrace. "Well, this is Kisuke," He said for the benefit of those who hadn't been to the Shoten before. "Um, that's Mizuiro, Keigo, Tatsuki and Chizuru. You know the rest."

"Graceless as usual, Kurosaki," Ishida commented. He stepped forward. "Congratulations on your relationship," He held out a small box in Quincy White and Blue with both his hands and a short bow.

"Ah, thank you. The gift is too much," Ichigo said flustered by Ishida's show of propriety.

"Well it is part apology," Ishida said uncomfortably. "I didn't take the news as well as I could have."

Kisuke wrapped his arms around Ichigo's waist from behind. "As always you are welcome to come here anytime. That goes for the rest of you too. I'm not going to separate Ichigo from his friends.

"Gah you look so cute together," Orihime burst out. She pulled Tatsuki closer, "I guess you were right. It truly wasn't meant to be," She said in a stage whisper. Half of the group including Ichigo winced.

"Well, It's nice to meet you. Um we were all curious as to what kind of guy Ichigo would be dating," Keigo said trying to steer the conversation.

Kisuke smiled at him, "Well what would you like to know?"

"Uh well," Keigo paused unsure what to ask when put on the spot. "Are you really a ghost ninja?"

Ichigo groaned.

Kisuke chuckled. "Something like that," He said. "But mostly I am a scientist."

"What kind of experiments do you do?" Mizuiro asked.

"Different things..." Kisuke said trailing off because he didn't want to say anything that would actually scare Ichigo's friends. "Mostly I'm working with reishi conversion theories right now."

"Reishi conversion? What's that? Chizuru asked from the back of the group. She was huddled behind Chad and staring at the Visodred having fun and obviously working on getting very very drunk. She had never been to a party with actual adults before and was a little out of her depth.

"Hmmm, I don't want to bore anyone... but essentially Hollows, Shinigami and Quincy all use reishi, but change it fundamentally to fit their biology," Kisuke said.

"Oh, sounds complicated," Chizuru said.

"More than you know," Kisuke said grinning. "I enjoy the challenge. But please come in and enjoy yourselves. If anyone gives you any trouble just tell me or Tessai, the big guy with the glasses and the apron. We will handle it."

"Why does he wear an apron?" Tatsuki asked curiously.

"He likes to think of himself as a professional," Kisuke said with a shrug as if he didn't understand it either.

After a little bit of self-consciousnesses Ichigo's friends started to open up to the Visored. Tatsuki struck up a conversation with Kensai and Mashiro about fighting techniques. Mashiro even stated that she would show Tatsuki some of her more improvised techniques at a later date. Everyone was busy listening to the older ex-Shinigami talk about tier time in the Soul Society, and the kids even sneaked a few drinks that weren't really for them.

"Don't let Dad catch you with that," Karin whispered to Ichigo when Kisuke decided to give him a small cup of sake.

"Dad's already around the bend, and what is that apple juice?" Ichigo shot back.

"Mostly," Karin said taking another sip. She grinned at her brother. "Don't worry, I'll only have the one, promise. And Yuzu doesn't even like the taste. I'd worry more about your boyfriend over there." She pointed to where Yoruichi and Kisuke were in the middle of a drinking competition of all things. At least Mizuiro looked like he was having fun. Yoruichi was in high spirits as well as deep in spirits, and was using him to prop herself up.

"I'm not. It might not look like it but he can hold out longer than Yoruichi can," Ichigo said with a sigh.

Karin snorted disbelievingly.

"No really, he cheats," Ichigo said with a grin.

6

Later that evening after a good portion of the food and alcohol had been consumed, and Ichigo's friends had left to walk his sister's home. Ichigo wandered out to the back porch to find Kisuke sitting quietly and looking up at the stars. He decided to join the other man and quietly took a seat next to him, but before he could fully sit down Kisuke had reached out and pulled Ichigo into his lap.

"I thought you didn't notice me," Ichigo said laughing a little.

"I'll always notice you," Kisuke said.

Ichigo blushed as he felt a warmth bubble up inside him that wasn't from the sake. They sat quietly for a few moments just enjoying each other's presence. The party inside was getting decidedly louder.

"You going to kick them out?" Ichigo asked.

"Probably tomorrow morning," Kisuke answered with a wicked grin. "Right now I would rather spend some time with you."

Ichigo snorted, "You wont be able to. You are just as drunk as they are."

Kisuke pulled himself up indignantly and managed to sway only a little bit. "I can hold my liquor better than any of them. Except maybe for Hachi, he's probably still sober-ish."

Ichigo laughed and kissed him on impulse slipping his tongue into Kisuke's mouth. He then pulled back to speak, but Kisuke followed him and continued the kiss. Ichigo slowly pushed Kisuke back so that he could speak. Kisuke had the expression of a kicked puppy on his face.

Ichigo swallowed. "Is this okay?"

"Is what okay?" Kisuke asked.

"Us. I mean is our relationship okay even though we aren't having sex?" Ichigo said in a rush. Mostly to get it out before he could talk himself out of it.

Kisuke studied Ichigo warily. "Is my reputation finally sinking in?" He said trying for sardonic humor, but his eyes remained wary.

Ichigo looked away hating himself for bringing it up. "No. I mean yes. I don't hold your past against you. that would be too unfair," Ichigo said glancing up to see if Kisuke was mad at him. "I wasn't even born for most of it. But I'm scared that you will just get tierd of me."

Kisuke pulled Ichigo closer and hugged him tightly. "I love you," He whispered into Ichigo's ear. "Every other relationship I've had started with the expectation that it would end."

"Even your relationship with Shinji?" Ichigo asked.

"He brought that up, did he?" Kisuke said staring almost hatefully at the closed door.

Ichigo nodded.

Kisuke sighed, "It was just a friends with benefits relationship. We were both captains and worked together often. It seemed like the perfect idea. I didn't find out until much later that he had been hoping that it would turn out to be more. I promise you, I want us to work."

Ichigo smiled sadly. "Promises aren't always easy to keep," He said sadly.

Kisuke nodded. "That may be true, but I have incentive," He said thinking about what had happened earlier that day.

Ichigo looked at him questioningly.

"Breaking promises to you most likely wont end well for me," Kisuke said smiling at him.

Ichigo crossed his arms and waited him out.

"Your Hollow almost kicked my ass today," Kisuke admitted grumpily. "That thing fights like a demon."

Ichigo swallowed. "You really should stay out of there. It's dangerous."

"It's a part of you," Kisuke said.

"The worst part," Ichigo countered.

"That remains to be seen," Kisuke said. He reached out and stroked Ichigo's hair. He pulled Ichigo into a kiss before he could start arguing.


End file.
